How do you maximize interview time and quality?

1 Know your goals

Before you start an interview, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. For example, if you are interviewing for a technical role, you might want to assess the candidate's skills, knowledge, and problem-solving abilities. If you are interviewing for a managerial role, you might want to evaluate the candidate's leadership, communication, and teamwork skills. Having specific goals will help you design relevant and realistic questions, scenarios, and tasks that will reveal the candidate's strengths and weaknesses.

4 Manage your time

Managing your time during the interview will help you avoid rushing or skipping important topics, and ensure that you have enough time to ask and answer questions. You should allocate a specific amount of time for each section of the interview, such as introduction, technical questions, behavioral questions, and closing remarks, and stick to it as much as possible. You should also monitor the candidate's pace and level of detail, and gently guide them to move on or elaborate as needed. If you run out of time, you can prioritize the most essential questions or topics, and follow up with the candidate later if necessary.

5 Give and get feedback

Giving and getting feedback after the interview will help you improve your interview skills and performance, and also show the candidate that you value their input and experience. You can give feedback to the candidate by thanking them for their time and effort, highlighting their strengths and areas for improvement, and explaining the next steps in the hiring process. You can also ask for feedback from the candidate by inviting them to share their thoughts and feelings about the interview, the role, and the organization, and asking them if they have any questions or concerns.