4 things hiring managers get wrong in interviews

June 22, 2023 2:54 PM

Interviews are a fundamental part of the job hunt. Yet, many hiring managers neglect to adequately prepare for interviews, potentially driving away many skilled applicants.

Interviewers' lack of preparation can be one of the biggest setbacks during the recruiting process. As companies like Glassdoor have made it easier than ever for people to gain insight into the workplace, interviews are one of the few opportunities for employers to sell the job firsthand.

To help fix these mistakes, Paul Bramson, professional training expert and globally recognized public speaker, gives his advice on how hiring managers can create a better, more seamless interview process.

Preparation

Reviewing candidates' resumes and applications is a seemingly essential part of the hiring process, but Bramson says many interviewers skip this step. Without sufficient knowledge on applicants' skill sets and backgrounds, interviewers often have to resort to asking general questions, and can miss out on the true value of a candidate.

"These are unstructured interviews. They are jumping around. It's hard for the interviewee to stay focused," Bramson says. "It derails the entire interview."

In addition to thoroughly reviewing and preparing questions, Bramson believes that practicing and role-playing different scenarios can help interviewers to gain a better sense of how to lead conversations. By implementing normalized interviewing training, companies can also help hiring managers to learn how to ask more specific, skilled-based questions.

Active Listening

At the same time, Bramson warns of the dangers of over-preparation and coming into an interview with a "checklist of questions." He has noticed — somewhat counterintuitively — that interviewers often dominate the conversation, not the other way around. This means that candidates don't have sufficient time to show off their qualifications and enthusiasm.

Instead, Bramson encourages interviewers to be active listeners. Simple body language, such as nodding or making hand gestures, can help establish a rapport. Asking icebreakers, meanwhile, can diffuse any potential tension. In doing so, recruiters can set interviewees at ease and create a more productive conversation.

Ensuring candidates are a good “cultural fit”

The top reason why people don't work out in companies is because they don't fit into the culture, according to Bramson. Research from the Harvard Business Review backs his claim up; Fifty percent of externally hired leaders fail in their position within the first two years, and on average, it takes outside recruits nearly twice as long to orient themselves in their leadership roles, than those internally recruited.

"In an interview, the interviewer needs to make sure that the alignment of values are a good fit," Bramson says. "They need to really explain what the culture is. So it ensures long term success and employee satisfaction." Additional HBR research shows that in accounting for a candidate's fit amongst their group of co-workers, recruiters can increase job performance by 30% within a two year period. A strong cultural fit can enhance the likelihood that an employee will not only stay, but thrive at a company, according to Bramson.

Feedback

After an interview, employers can reach out and ask interviewees for feedback. Such input can help create better experiences for future candidates and help keep the company on applicant's radar during the job search.

Ultimately, Bramson says that simply paying more attention to the interview process can streamline the relationship between employers and potential hires, and boost the wellbeing of the entire workforce.

"The better the interviewer understands the person, the better the person understands the company, the better employee engagement and retention will happen," Bramson says.