Rather than asking the same old questions, you can benefit from interview techniques that assess candidates’ skills, experience, and even cultural fit. For example, behavioral interviewing and structured interview formats might lead to more successful recruiting outcomes that help you find top talent in your industry. Learn more about identifying the best candidates with these effective interview methods. 

Ask Questions Based on Job Requirements

Many employers have been asking candidates the same things for years—questions like “Tell me about yourself,” “What are your strengths?” and “Why should we hire you?” While this generic line of inquiry can reveal some insights about applicants, it doesn’t uncover what someone can truly bring to your organization.

Instead, ask candidates “yes” or “no” questions based on the specific requirements of your job role. That can help you weed out applicants who don’t meet your expectations pretty quickly, speeding up the hiring process. 

Here are some examples for different industries:

• Finance: Do you have at least five years of experience managing high-level accounts?
• Software design and development: Do you have an Oracle Certified Master (OCM) certification? 
• Construction: Do you have deep-level knowledge of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)?

Use the STAR Method

Behavioral interviews let you assess a candidate’s previous experiences to see how they’ve successfully navigated problems relevant to your job role. Instead of asking someone how they would behave in a particular scenario, you’d ask them how they’ve behaved in a specific situation in the past. 

One of the best behavioral interview techniques is the STAR method. It involves a candidate discussing a particular situation, task, action, and result of that action. 

Here’s what you can ask someone during a job interview when using the STAR method:

• Situation: Tell me about a project in a previous job where you had to meet a tight deadline. 
• Task: What were you responsible for in this project?
• Action: What action did you take to meet the deadline?
• Result: What was the result of that action?

According to Indeed, the STAR format lets interviewees demonstrate how they provided value to a situation and the challenges they overcame in a job role. By asking behavioral-based questions like the ones above, you can get to know applicants better and decide whether they are a good fit for your company. 

Evaluate Soft Skills and Emotional Intelligence

Soft skills are personal attributes not specific to any job that enable candidates to work effectively with others. Here are some examples:

• Teamwork
• Communication
• Problem-solving
• Decision making
• Conflict resolution

By assessing soft skills during an interview, you can find out whether someone will work well with the rest of your team and adopt your company culture. 

While soft skills are difficult to measure, you can observe them in a candidate as they answer your interview questions or participate in role-playing exercises. For example, an interviewee who actively listens to your questions and gives detailed answers probably possesses strong communication skills. 

You can also assess how well a person reads and responds to emotions in an interview. Candidates who empathize with others during role-play exercises or can identify their weaknesses might show signs of emotional intelligence. 

Avoid Biases

Having preconceptions about a candidate before they step into your interview room can lead to unfair and inconsistent questioning. The best way to avoid interview biases is to use a structured question format. This involves asking all applicants the same questions and evaluating their responses via the same criteria. 

Not only will this technique standardize your recruiting process, but you can reduce the chances of a discrimination-related lawsuit and other legal problems. 

Provide Feedback

Giving candidates constructive feedback is always a good idea because it proves you value their time and effort. Even if someone isn’t successful, they might have a more positive view of your company when you provide follow-up communication. As a result, they could be more likely to apply for job roles at your organization in the future.

There are various ways you can offer feedback. For example, you can email a candidate with constructive comments a week or so after their interview. You might also want candidates to give feedback about your company so you can improve your hiring workflows and applicant experiences.