Hiring? Here's how to interview like a boss... 5 Top Tips to improve your interview skills!

So, you're working hard, scaling up, replacing leavers or managing churn. Contract or permanent, junior, or senior, you want to find the best possible talent to join your team & business. The thing is that many interviewers have never had any training in... interviewing. You could find yourself promoted or leading a team and you need to increase your numbers. A CV arrives, the candidate looks good on paper, an interview's arranged. But how do we make sure we're getting the most out of our interview? How should we act, behave, prepare, and deliver a positive interview experience for our candidate, while ensuring we qualify that they're the right (or wrong) fit for the role, company & team?

I interview candidates every day in my role as a head-hunter and I really enjoy getting to know a candidate through this process. With that in mind, I have put together 5 tips which I hope will prove useful:

Prepare. We expect a candidate to do their research and are often disappointed if they haven't invested the time in preparation on their side however, interviewers can improve here, too. A quick scan of a CV isn't enough. Actually read it! Make notes - ask questions. Read the job description & CV side by side. Look for matches (and gaps). Discuss these. Reasons they have moved from role to role - is there a pattern? Have your interview questions ready for them (make sure they are relevant & legal/compliant). Make notes during the conversation you have. If you are hosting several interviews, answers may start to blend together if you don't make notes. Behavioural questions (asking for examples of how a candidate has previously behaved in a work situation, also known as STAR interviewing) are a useful way to organise & structure an interview. Ask the same core questions to all candidates and grade their answers fairly.

Start well. Thank them for their time. Smile. Build rapport. Put yourself in their shoes - how would you like to be treated if you were in their seat today? This may be their first interview in a while, they could have recently left education, they may be nervous or jittery - especially if they really want the role. Make it easy for them to do well. Break the ice and remain positive. Interviews are a two way street - top talent could well have their choice of employer (this remains true in any market, even the current one). Make a great impression - you're representing both yourself and your company/brand. Even if the candidate is ultimately unsuccessful, make the personal experience between you a positive one. Listen & give them an opportunity to ask you questions. Be honest about the opportunities & challenges in the role - don't over sell.

Leave your biases at the door. Maybe you have no unconscious biases or prejudices. If so, fantastic. Skip this point. If you are self aware to accept that you may have some biases, work hard to leave them out of interviews. Common unconscious biases include the assumption someone is over qualified (they'll probably leave...they'll be bored...they'll constantly be asking for progression/training/development...). Instead of writing this candidate off because of assumptions we make based on our own unconscious biases, let's discuss these. Why is the candidate keen on the role/company/brand? What circumstances have brought them here? What's their short/medium/long term career plan? Try (and it can be difficult, admittedly) not to make early judgements and snap decisions. Wait until all interviews are over and have a reflective review of the candidates & their interview performances. Don't miss out on fantastic talent due to unconscious biases. Why not ask a trusted peer/colleague/your recruiter to double-head the interview with you? A fresh perspective and outside judgement may help you each the right decision. Trust your gut feeling - if you are excited about introducing your new hire to the team & getting them started in their role, examine why - what's made you feel like that & should you base a job offer on it?

Red flags. Sometimes, candidates can interview spectacularly well and then be absolutely average in the role. Sometimes, a candidate will interview fairly well and then be genuinely spectacular in the role. Identifying the talent you want is hard work, but there are some red flags you can keep an eye out for during your interview. Look for substance - not just a big smile and no genuine content. You need to drill down for genuine examples and good quality answers. Ask the candidate to tell you what they have done in their example answers (not the team, not your boss - you). Are they telling you about previous roles when they've experienced multiple personality clashes, a series of bad bosses, colleagues that haven't pulled their weight... ask more about this. How would this personality fit into your current team? Being unable to form any relevant answer is also a worry - if they can't give you an example (despite you phrasing the question in different ways and allowing plenty of time for thought) I would be concerned about this. Trust your own judgement & remember, if there are any red flags, an interview is a great time to discuss them further (don't make assumptions - ask questions!).

Manage the process. An interview is a really effective & focused time, if you guide it well. Structure your questions - identify the kind of responses you would be keen to see. Help the candidate along with affirmative nodding and smiling, direct them back to relevance if you feel they are going off-piste. A skilled interviewer doesn't just ask a list of questions to a range of candidates, and then choose their favourite one. You need to identify the skills, personality and background that would work best for the role you're trying to fill. You're in the driving seat during an interview, so make the most of it & get what you need. Ensure you conclude the interview with a clear, concise summary of what's been discussed & give a clear idea of next steps/feedback timescales.

Summary: Interviews are important. Don't squeeze them in between other pressing matters, make time for them. Invest in the process & you'll be rewarded by putting yourself in a strong position to make confident offers.

About me: I am a highly experienced recruiter & head-hunter in the very competitive payments & fin-tech verticals, with a track record of successful hiring into multiple clients, from start-ups to multi-nationals. As always, please reach out if you need any assistance with recruitment or on-boarding: bn@payments-recruitment.co.uk