How to Be a Better Interviewer

Someone’s not getting the job. I’d say it’s whoever sold that guy a lime green tie.

Today’s article is the first in a two (maybe three) part series on better interviewing. I’ve sat through 50 to 60 interviews over the last 20 years, and I’ve interviewed ten times that number of people. I’ve learned a great deal on both sides of the desk which is distilled below into advice, recommendations, and general thought starters. As always, I’m offering my take on the subject, and since I’m awesome, this article must be brimming with awesomeness.

• First things first — create a clear, structured document containing what the role will need to accomplish. You can call it a must do list, a 90 day plan, a scorecard, or whatever as long as there is a definitive list. Having a vague idea of what you want will typically lead to bad results. When’s the last time you told your hair stylist “I want shorter hair — go.”? Treat the hiring of an actual person with the same importance as your haircut. After all, you have to look at who you hired on Zoom for the next 3 years. You can’t even see your own hair most of the time.
• When that’s done (and only when that’s done) do you write/update the job description. It’s highly provocative I know, but you are allowed to accurately tell people what the job will entail. Raise your hand if you have ever been in an interview and were told that something on the job description wasn’t quite right. Being in that situation makes the company and the role itself feel a little less polished. It’s hard to appear shiny and new when you hear yourself saying “I know the posting said that, but that’s an old job description. Here’s what it should have said.”
• Now you can go through your job description and pull out the specific skills you are looking for. Pay special attention to the skills that can be taught vs. the skills that the candidates need to possess on day one. Be honest with yourself on what your company can & will actually train. I have yet to see a company who has an effective Excel or presentation training class. Everyone thinks that they can teach a new person how to handle both topics, but Google the phrase “bad presentations” and remember that the road to PowerPoint hell is paved with good intentions.
• Determine your must-have skills. I’m here to tell you that very few candidates will check every box on the skill list. If they did, then they’re probably overqualified for what you want to pay (you cheapskate you). Stand firm on your required skills. The emphasis on skills is a reminder not to confuse tenure with ability. You can assume that an analyst with 3–5 years of experience will know what they’re doing, but how much would you wager on it? Let me know when you want to place a bet and I’ll send you my Venmo ID.
• This is the step that nearly everyone skips — Figure out how you’ll test/qualify candidates for those must have skills. Resist the urge to ask them if they know how to do something. They’re interviewing, so it’s in their best interest to fudge the truth. Avoid their chocolatey lies by designing a live scenario or series of detailed questions on past experiences to ensure they know what they’re talking about. Skip this step at your own nonpareil.
• Last bit of prep work — create the interview structure that you’ll use consistently. Your mission is to compare and contrast candidates, and that’s much easier to do if you ask them the same questions. It also helps you remove (most) unconscious biases since everyone truly does get the same chance to impress. Even the guy who thought his camera was off and decided to wear his Limp Bizkit concert tee for the interview. Don’t forget to grade everyone on the same scale too. No extra credit for attending your alma mater, even if it’s Harvard (and if it is Harvard, you’ve probably already told them you went to Harvard before they arrive).

You have probably noticed that none of the steps above involved talking to the candidate. That’s because a good interview is not something you wing. Let me take that back — lots of people wing interviews, and that’s why most interviews are awkward, stress-inducing affairs. Be the interviewer that you wish you had in the past. Get the fundamentals right and you’ll have a much easier time with the following steps. You guessed it — it’s now time to talk to a live human being.

• Read their resume before they walk in the door/sign on to the video call. Sounds basic, but it doesn’t always happen. I’ll give you bonus points for writing down questions or comments on their resume so you can dive deeper.
• Start off the conversation well by setting the stage for the candidate. Explain what to expect for the structure, time allotted, when they can ask questions (give them some time in the middle), and how the next steps will work if you decide to move them forward. Those are the big things they have been sweating over for the previous 24–48 hours, and you can reduce their anxiety (and relative humidity) by giving them a framework.
• Don’t forget your manners — be as welcoming as you feel comfortable with. If you’re in person, shake hands and smile. Maybe offer them a beverage. If you’re online, then just smile. Terrified people do not answer questions well. Just ask any 4 year old conspicuously not looking at a broken lamp.
• Limit distractions. Turn off your phone ringer, set your status as do not disturb, nail your door shut, whatever. Tell the candidate that you’re doing it. Show them that you’re valuing their time and you respect them. They’re going to forget most of what you say, but they won’t forget how you made them feel. And they definitely won’t forget that thing you forgot was on the bookshelf behind you (made you look).
• Ask your questions, and then ask follow up questions. You’ve built in enough time for a conversation, so have a conversation. If you want to hear more, ask to hear more. If they hesitated in responding, ask them what went through their mind. You’re aiming for interested, not interrogating.
• Oh, and while we’re on the subject, avoid asking ridiculous questions. Do you really care what kind of tree the candidate thinks they are? More to the point, the type of tree they think that you want them to be? If the question is subjective and doesn’t help you make your decision, skip it.
• Answer their questions candidly. Remember that they’re also deciding if they want the role if one should be offered. There’s nothing more damaging to morale than a new employee who finds out that the company is nothing like what was advertised. If you do it well, then candid feedback can also be used as a selling point. You’re looking for someone that can make things better. Things don’t have to be (or to seem) perfect. Besides, people like to feel wanted and useful. Use that to your advantage.
• Remember those scenarios you created to test their skills? Time to put the candidates to work. The good candidates will give you an accurate approach to solve the scenario. The great candidates will challenge your assumptions and clarify the conditions before they answer. (That’s called using your critical thinking skills, and not nitpicking the question, regardless of what my wife calls what I do.)
• Bring in a buddy if you can. Two heads are better than one, especially in a multi hour interview. Just decide who will ask which questions before hand. I’ve been on too many calls with stuttering starts and then someone saying “No, no, you go ahead”. Have a system — Take a tag team approach or switch off after each question (just stay consistent).
• Don’t rush to judgment. For candidates that are marginal or okay, don’t decide their fate in the moment. Give them a shot to turn the conversation around. For candidates that are a “no” based on the must have skills, feel free to be candid with them. Ask them to help you understand their qualifications based on the job description and then give your Recruiting team some grief afterwards. (Not too much grief or they will make you suffer in subtle ways. Enjoy that interview at 4:30 on Friday).

One final thought starter for you (mostly free of charge). The only thing I can say definitively about interviewing is that people are all wacky in their own way. I’ve had hilarious conversations with the most strait-laced-seeming people that you can imagine. I’ve had candidates start off very strong and completely melt down by the end of the call (I swear I didn’t melt anyone deliberately). I’ve had candidates with terrible looking resumes knock my socks off in person. Stay flexible and adapt to where the conversation may flow. There’s a good chance you’ll learn something fascinating that you never thought to ask. Like who used to work with your boss in a past life and happens to have a great story about after that one happy hour….

-Philip