Report: How to Interview Someone

Losing candidates to rival companies? First impressions matter. A lot.

As recruitment experts, we’re always reminding clients that the interview is a two-way street. You’re assessing whether the candidate is a good fit, and they’re doing the same to you.

Right now, competition for the best talent is fierce. To help you convince the best candidates to say "yes!" to your job offer, our team has pulled together their best tips on how to interview someone effectively.
   

At a glance: Interview statistics

1000 UK workers told us about the interview practices that attract them to an employer - and the behaviours they consider red flags. Here’s a preview:

Family faux-pas: 1 in 4 workers would be discouraged from joining a company if it was described as a ‘family’.

Two many interviews: Most candidates believe that two interviews are optimal, and 52% say any more is excessive.


Don’t keep them waiting: On average, candidates are willing to wait a maximum of nine days for an interview response.

Give it to them straight: 46% of workers say when an interviewer can’t answer straightforward questions, it puts them off a job opportunity.


Too many cooks: More than a third (34%) of candidates feel uncomfortable when interviewed by several team members.

You’ll find loads more juicy interview statistics for recruiters and HR professionals over on our new report, The Art of the Interview. Learn how candidates think, so you can understand how to interview someone and attract the best talent.

 
Checklist: How to conduct an interview

In this guide, you’ll find an 11-step interview checklist, from defining the job role to making an offer and providing feedback.

Competency-based interview questions

Competency-based interview questions can help you to quickly determine whether a candidate is the right fit. 

Competency-based interview question examples

• Describe a time you had to work as part of a group to achieve a goal
• Describe a situation when you developed a solution to a problem
• Give me an example of a time you improved your working relationship with a client.
• Have you ever had to assess a risk at work? What decision did you take, and why? 
• What obstacles do you encounter in your current role, and how do you overcome them?
• How have you motivated unproductive or challenging team members?
• Tell me about a time when you led a team of people. What considerations did you make?
• Tell me about the hardest decision you have had to make recently.

For more, download the report.

How to interview someone for a job: Aptitude testing

You know which interview practices to avoid. You know about the best interview questions to ask candidates. Don’t forget about aptitude testing. Setting psychometric tests and aptitude tests for candidates helps you assess their technical abilities.

Step 1: Pre-application test

Purpose: To assess general skills relevant to the role. This test helps filter out candidates based on fundamental skills before the formal application process.

Example: For a software engineering role, a brief maths test; For a communications role, a grammar test.

Duration: Should be short, no longer than 10 minutes.

 
Download the report to unlock the next steps.

How to interview someone: FREE report

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Authors

The Eden Scott team