What Makes a Good Interview

Everyone has an interview horror story. Whether it's rogue questions, wrong directions or personality clashes, there are a whole host of reasons an interview can turn into a living nightmare. Whatever the format, disasters can't be helped, but what can be avoided is a bad interview process, setting people up to fail!

After nearly 10 years at Stopgap I've seen it all. Every sort of test, presentation, million-and-one stage process, shadowing day and more - interviews really do come in all shapes and sizes. The culture of an organisation very much shapes the approach companies take to interviewing. Corporate, larger organisations often have a rigid process replicated at all levels, involving a psychometric assessment or test, agreed task, and sometimes a "panel" interview to get someone over the line. Smaller, more agile businesses and start-ups are often (although not always!) more focused on culture fit and their process reflects that. Candidates might only meet one person through the process and have one or two remote stages. Competency based interviews and "culture fit" chats are often all that's required and an offer could even come through after a first "chat!"

There is no right or wrong way, but I am a big advocate of something in between the two approaches I've described. I've seen people fail to go the distance (or even a full week) in a new role because an employer didn't interview thoroughly enough, and expectations simply weren't managed well. On the other end of the spectrum (and much more commonly) I've seen countless employers lose strong candidates in progress due to overlong, arduous processes which ultimately give candidates a negative view of the organisation. At their very worst, (and this happens more than you'd expect) these processes can result in candidates insisting on invoicing companies for time worked on tasks which essentially give the company a new strategy, only to find they don't secure the role. There is a real danger in "over" doing the process!

Here are three key things to remember when conducting an interview process:

Remember you're selling the company to the candidate

In an interview of course the candidate will be "selling themselves" and convincing you they're right for the job, but it's important to remember your interview style showcases what your business cares about, and what it's like to work with you - you've got a selling job to do, too! Think reasonably about the attitude you have and the hoops you're asking people to jump through. This even includes how you conduct the interview. A first stage informal stage on a video call is a great shout and totally expected nowadays. This gives both parties a chance to "sell" themselves, engage in the process and get excited, making the next stages more seamless for all.

Also, think in advance about setting tasks or presentations and when/what you're going to expect. Presentations are a great way to establish more about a candidates approach and working style, as well as showcasing their investment in the opportunity when they're later in the process. However, whilst you want to use this to find the right fit, asking 5 people to present for 45 minutes and propose a whole new campaign or strategy for your company is a big ask. On a purely practical level, if they're already in processes elsewhere and moving quickly, this might delay their availability. Tasks that involve referring back to past, similar pieces of work is often a good idea, as it brings to life a candidates' CV/portfolio as well as assessing their approach, without asking them to essentially start the job you're interviewing them for free!

Conduct a Risk Assessment!

Whilst it's good to streamline processes and be realistic with your expectations on interviewees, it's also important to work out the key things you really need to know about this person before hiring them for this particular role. Do you need proof they have a particular skill (eg. copywriting)? Is there a person they'll be working closely with, or a challenging character, who needs to buy in to the new recruit? Ensure these boxes are ticked and worked into the process early and don't crop up at the eleventh hour, or worse, once they're hired! You might personally be convinced they're a fit, but you don't want to kick yourself later when the team fit isn't right or the proof isn't in the pudding!

Be flexible and adaptable

If you meet a strong candidate and have ticked these essential boxes quickly, you might need to flex the process you had in mind to secure them. Consider wrapping two stages into one, or cutting out any unnecessary elements of the process to speed things up if you're in this position. Process for process' sake can really hinder an interview process. For example, if a candidate will struggle to get into the office to meet you in person for a couple of weeks due to work commitments, can you be flexible by scheduling any stages online to speed up the process, meeting them casually for coffee as a final face to face sense check? More than ever, time is of the essence and good candidates go very quickly. All interview decisions, no matter how rigorous the process, are ultimately a leap of faith. If your instincts are strong and you've tackled the key things you really need to know, go for it and do what you can to secure the candidate - no doubt others will be trying to do the same!

At Stopgap we like to partner with our clients as trusted advisors, and help them at every stage of the hiring process. If you're considering recruiting for a new role, or simply want to discuss ways to streamline your interview process in general, any of our experienced consultants would be happy to chat!