1. Prepare in advance: Job description, requirements for the position, and the candidate’s general profile with both soft and hard skills – all that should be clear and known from the very beginning.

2. Structure the interview: Start with a nice general conversation about anything easy and not job-related to put the candidate at ease and see their natural reactions. Introduce yourself,  provide an overview of the interview process, and explain what you’re looking for in a candidate. Then, proceed with a structured interview, which means the same, prepared questions for every candidate in order to give all the same chance while evaluating.

3. Focus on choosing good interview questions: Prepare questions that will create opportunities for a good conversation and make the candidate think in order to give a valuable answer. Questions are essential because they are delivering valuable information about candidates that reveals their attitudes and values in order to make good hiring decisions.

4. Ensure to get real answers: Crucial to the effectiveness of such a process is not to be satisfied with any answer – a replica, but to continue with the topic until we hear a particular and specific answer to the question.

5. Listen actively: Focus on understanding the speaker’s message, Pay close attention to the candidate’s responses, and actively listen to what and how they say. Show interest and engage in the conversation, allowing candidates to elaborate on their answers and ask follow-up questions when necessary.

6. Speak less, listen more: Give the candidates space and time to think. Listen carefully but don’t support the candidate immediately when there is a moment of silence. Let your candidates break the silence and you can be surprised how much information you will get.

7. Use a rating scale/ candidate scorecard: Develop a rating scale or scoring system to evaluate candidates based on predetermined criteria objectively. This can help you compare candidates to the requirements and with each other more effectively and make fair assessments. Consistently applying the rating scale across all interviews will ensure a fair evaluation process.

8. Practice taking notes: You cannot remember everything your candidates will say but it is essential to be able to come back to this information whenever you need it. Learn how to take notes while staying focused on the candidate and conversation. Practice making short notes without losing attention for the conversation that will allow you to create a full candidate profile after the interview.

9. Allow time for candidate questions: At the end of the interview, give candidates an opportunity to ask questions about the role, the company, or any other relevant topics. This demonstrates their interest and engagement while providing you with insights into their priorities and concerns.                                                                                                                                                                                     
10. Follow up: After the interview, promptly communicate with candidates to let them know about the next steps in the hiring process. Provide feedback, and maintain clear and timely communication throughout the selection process.                                                                                52% of candidates who were given feedback were more likely to continue a relationship with the company                                                                                                                   
11. Don’t belittle the candidate: The purpose of the interview is to get to know the candidate and NOT to show them their possible knowledge gaps och lacking experience.  Don’t make candidates feel uncomfortable, and don’t come late to meetings. The recruitment process is a powerful employer branding tool where you can and should turn every candidate into your ambassador. 

12. Check and improve your process: Send a survey to your rejected candidates with questions about the process in order to find out how they were feeling during all interactions and with what impression they left your process.

Remember, conducting better job interviews is an ongoing process of learning and refinement. Recruiters, Hiring Managers, and team members involved in the hiring process should evaluate and discuss each other’s performance in order to contact the most effective interviews.

Solicit feedback from your colleagues and continuously evaluate and improve your interview techniques to enhance the hiring outcomes for your organization.