Elevate Your Interview Game

Next-Level Interview Techniques You Never Heard Of

A study conducted by Leadership IQ found that within 18 months, 46% of new hires failed and only 19% achieved unequivocal success. The primary reason wasn't incompetence, but rather a mismatch in motivations and temperament.

This shows how inefficient many interview processes are, highlighting the importance of delving deeper into candidates' motivations and culture fit during the interview process.

Classic interviewing, when executed well, is usually quite effective. If you are keen to master this art, have a look at the material I provide for free on my profile. You can find insights on conducting impactful interviews and making sure you get honest responses.

However, for those ready to elevate their interview game, the following are next-level interview techniques that could transform your approach to finding the right talent. These methods go beyond the conventional and might seem a bit out there, but stay with me.

1. Virtual Reality InterviewsConducting your interview in a simulated 3D environment relevant to the job sounds extra? VR and AR technologies can offer a truly immersive experience, testing candidates in scenarios that mimic real-life challenges. It might sound out there, but especially for roles requiring spatial awareness or design skills, it can be a real game-changer. VR can also be used to create a real-life crisis situation to test someone's ability to handle stress and time pressure. For example, VR can simulate cybersecurity scenarios where candidates are required to identify, respond to, and mitigate virtual security threats. This could include real-time hacking attempts, virtual network security setups, or breach detection exercises.
2. Gamification We all know by now that gamification has many benefits, such as motivating people to work harder and achieve goals, spend more time on websites, or even control consumer behavior. But have you heard about gamified assessments in interviews? This method can transform a conventional interview into a more engaging, interactive, and insightful experience. Traditional interviews can be nerve-wracking, while gamification creates a more relaxed and engaging environment, allowing candidates to show off their problem-solving and creative thinking skills. Observing a candidate’s decision-making process in a gamified environment can reveal their ability to make informed, strategic decisions under pressure, and you can even test their collaboration and teamwork.
3. Data-Driven Behavioral AnalysisIf behavioral analysis is not standard in your interview processes yet, you are behind the curve. Psychometric testing even before the interview stage gives deeper insights into a candidate's personality, work style, and compatibility with the team and organisational culture. If you want to take it up a notch, you can also use advanced data analytics to evaluate candidates’ responses and behaviors during interviews. Technology lets you analyse speech patterns, response times, and other metrics to gain deeper insights into a candidate's personality and suitability for the role.
4. Crowd InterviewingYou probably heard of panel interviews where several members of your team interview a candidate at the same time. Crowd Interviewing means involving more employees in the process, which is great for teams with a flat hierarchy and a strong team culture, as the decision-making is democratised and allows for diverse perspectives. Crowd interviews allow you to leverage the collective intelligence of your team.
5. Emotional Intelligence Testing The benefits of EI assessments are obvious, especially for roles demanding high interpersonal skills. Understanding a candidate's emotional quotient can be as vital as their technical abilities. To test a candidate's emotional intelligence during an interview, you have to ask questions and create scenarios that allow you to assess a candidate’s self-awareness, empathy, social skills, self-regulation, and motivation. Here are some strategies:Behavioral Interview Questions: Ask candidates about specific situations they've encountered in the past and how they would solve them today. This will not only show their problem-solving skills but also their ability to grow and self-reflect.Role-Playing Exercises: Engage candidates in role-playing exercises where they have to navigate a social situation or resolve a conflict. Observing how they interact in these simulations can provide insights into their EI. Keep in mind the assessee will always try to show themselves in their best light. Emotional Responses: Pay attention to the emotional tone, non-verbal communication, such as body language, eye contact, and facial expressions the interviewee uses during the interview. Do they show appropriate emotion when discussing certain topics? Having a note-taker type person in the interview, whose sole purpose is to observe the candidate, can really help to understand the candidate on a deeper level and reduce unconscious bias.

All sounds great, but you simply don't have the time to prepare? Have a look at my free article on how to make interviewing more efficient! Also, keep in mind that not investing time in preparing and executing an interview properly, or not testing a candidate thoroughly, often leads to re-hiring or extended hiring processes – which is more time-consuming in the end. It might seem like a big time investment upfront, but in the long run, these innovative strategies can streamline your hiring process, saving time and ensuring you attract the best talent.

If you need more information on hiring and streamlining your recruitment processes feel free to contact me on [email protected]