Essential Interviewing Tips for New Interviewers

Navigating your first interview as the interviewer

Stepping into the role of an interviewer for the first time can be as daunting as it is exciting. The responsibility to identify the right candidate for your team is significant, and the process is a reflection of your company’s values and your personal professionalism. This blog offers practical advice to help you navigate this process and conduct effective and fair job interviews, especially if you’re new to this critical role. Getting prepared is the key to nailing your first experience as an interviewer.

How can you navigate your first interviewing experience?

Understand the Stakes

Recognize the real cost of a poor hiring decision. The implications of a bad hire ripple beyond immediate financial losses and they can dampen team morale, diminish productivity, and disrupt overall engagement. A LinkedIn article recently shed light on how expenses incurred from hiring, onboarding, and training can burden your company’s budget. Even if you’re not making the final call but are part of a panel or loop interview process, the consequences of a suboptimal hire are often felt. Whether it leads to a void in your direct team or strains a cross-functional group, the impacts are tangible and far-reaching. It’s a collective responsibility to ensure every panel member is aligned in identifying candidates who will be beneficial long-term additions.

Interview Pitfalls to Sidestep for New Interviewers

• Arrogance: Remember, your goal is to find a potential colleague, not to assert dominance. Engage candidates respectfully and give them a fair chance to showcase their abilities.
• Inconsistency: The interview process should be a consistent reflection of the company’s culture. Be clear with your questions and maintain a steady flow throughout the conversation.
• Unpreparedness: Familiarize yourself with the candidate’s CV, pronounce their name correctly, and have a tailored list of questions for the specific role.

Pre-Interview Strategies

• Seek Guidance: If you’re uncertain, seek advice from experienced colleagues or mentors on effective interviewing techniques.
• Study the Company Values: Ensure that your interview questions align with your organization’s core values to find a candidate who will thrive within your company’s culture.
• Prepare Thoroughly: Take time to understand the candidate’s background and experiences and how they may contribute to your company.

the Interview

During the Interview

• Create Comfort: Foster a friendly atmosphere to encourage genuine responses.
• Maintain Open-mindedness: Value experiences from various industries and be curious about the candidate’s unique journey.
• Standardize Questions: Ask all candidates the same set of questions to ensure an equitable process.

After the Interview

• Provide Prompt Feedback: Jot down your thoughts soon after the interview while your memory is fresh and before comparing candidates.
• Weigh Potential Over Perfection: Consider a candidate’s capacity for growth and development rather than holding out for someone who checks every box.
• Be Resolute: Stand behind your decisions, while also being open to feedback from your recruitment team or hiring committee.

Your Interview Skills

Developing Your Interview Skills

• Self-Assessment: Continuously reflect on your approach and seek feedback from peers to improve.
• Invest in Training: Consider formal training to mitigate biases and enhance your interviewing skills.
• Solicit Candidate Insights: Use post-interview candidate surveys and recruiter feedback to identify areas for improvement.

Top tip: Beware of ‘fence sitting’

Beware of ‘Fence-Sitting’ in Interviews: New interviewers, or those fresh to a company, sometimes fall into the trap of indecision, preferring to ‘sit on the fence’ rather than make a definitive judgment. This hesitation can be detrimental, not just to the hiring process, but to perceptions of your leadership. Colleagues may start to question the value of your input if you appear indecisive. On the flip side, consistently saying ‘no’ to demonstrate high standards is equally unhelpful. Striking a balance is crucial; it demonstrates your ability to make informed decisions and shows that you understand the nuanced nature of assessing candidate fit (and helping the company plan for the the future).

Final Thoughts for the First-Time Interviewer

As a new interviewer, it’s vital to embrace the learning curve and be open to different perspectives. Be mindful that everyone has interviewers and candidates off days and stay alert to your potential biases. This level of self-awareness and dedication to improvement will not only help you find the right candidates but also grow as a professional in your field.

By adhering to these guidelines, you’ll be on your way to conducting interviews that are fair, insightful, and representative of your company’s high standards.

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