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Sorting through job candidates can be both exciting and daunting for new recruiters and HR managers. As these staff members seek to find the best talent to fill roles within their company, they'll need to develop strong interviewing and screening skills to identify top-tier talent.
Below, Forbes Human Resources Council members share valuable tips and strategies to help new recruiters and HR managers improve their interviewing and candidate screening abilities. From honing communication skills to implementing structured training, adopting these strategies can ultimately lead to more successful hires and a stronger workforce.
1. Actively Listen
Pay attention to the non-verbal cues. Focus on active listening, allowing pauses in between the conversation. Focus on situational interview questions—the approach and critical skill thinking are key to finding talent. Allow space for an opportunity to share a time when they failed, or something didn’t go their way, and ask, "What were the lessons learned?" - Teedra Bernard, TransUnion
2. Implement Structured Interview Training
Most interviewers think that interviewing is easy, which is typically only true if it's done poorly. Structured interviewer training—including ways to reduce unconscious biases and hands-on role-playing, asking questions, taking detailed notes and scoring candidates—is essential to learning and executing good interviewing techniques. Then, you have to practice, practice, practice! - Robert Satterwhite, Odgers Berndtson
3. Incorporate A Competency-Based Framework
Incorporate a competency-based framework, emphasizing real-world examples of problem-solving and critical thinking. This method can evaluate essential skills for adapting to change, mastering new technologies and navigating industry shifts. It also aligns with future job trends toward skill-based roles, ensuring a strategic and inclusive approach in preparation for the evolving workplace demands. - Karen Perham-Lippman, Otis Elevator Company
4. Be Aware Of Your Own Biases
Be aware of your biases; they are more powerful than you think. Always question your reactions and thoughts. What you bring to the interview, screening process or conversation is often more about you than the candidate. If you have a structured process or list, make sure you are not always looking for the confirmation answers—give yourself a chance to really get to know the person in front of you. - Marcela Pizzi, Atlas Renewable Energy
5. Ask Open-Ended Questions
Stay curious and ask open-ended questions; this enables you to dig deeper and uncover the skills and experiences required in a qualified candidate. Ask questions that begin with "how," "what" or "tell me about." Also, pay attention to the nonverbal cues and note observations during your conversation and interaction with the candidate. - Kathleen Duffy, Duffy Group, Inc.
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6. Create A Plan
Create a plan. New interviewers often depend on their prior experiences. Instead of just having a candidate's resume and a rough idea of your questions, it's better to outline the interview's purpose (whether it's to sell the job or to screen the candidate), identify what you aim to assess (like specific skills or motivations) and decide on a method for evaluating the candidate's responses. - Neil Morelli, Codility
7. Use A Skills And Behavioral Assessment
Keep in mind a few goals of the screening process: predict success in the role, be timely- and cost-efficient, reduce bias and be compliant. Using a short job-customized skills and behavioral assessment upfront from a reliable provider is an objective way to reduce bias and save screening time. Afterward, a live or recorded video interview can help evaluate communication and thinking styles. - Eric Friedman, eSkill
8. Don't Rely Solely On AI
Recruiters and HR managers now have the added benefit of new HR technologies, including AI software. While these advances can create a more efficient screening process, new recruiters and HR managers shouldn't lose sight of the human touch in recruiting. Although candidates you’re screening are initially on paper, in reality, they are real people with skills new technology or AI may not detect. - Rick Hammell, Helios
9. Avoid Asking Textbook Questions
Avoid asking textbook questions that lead to textbook answers. Let them “go rogue." Ask open-ended questions to disarm and engage candidates for more fluid and insightful conversation. This will give you a better sense of what value, experience and skillset they bring and reduce the risk of hiring a bad fit who read a few articles on effective interviewing. - Shannon Gabriel, TBM Consulting
10. Create A List Of Must-Haves
Create a list of must-haves versus coachable or teachable skills for the role, and rank job candidates in both areas. While it may be preferable to hire a candidate who checks all the boxes, it's not realistic, and often times you'll miss out on top performers by trying to perfectly match a candidate's resume to the job description. - Jenna Hinrichsen, Advanced RPO
11. Listen And Follow Up
In a word: Listen. Following up on the unexpected answer is the quick path to real insight about a job candidate, but too many interviewers just move on to the next question. If someone mentions she tried out for the astronaut training program or swam the English Channel and you don’t alter the interview agenda to find out more, that’s a potential loss for your organization—and it’s on you. - Graham Glass, CYPHER Learning
12. Stay Curious
Have a plan, then stay curious during screening; ask probing questions for clarity. As recruiting and HR professionals, our role is to actively listen, align candidates with positions and share their stories with impactful examples. Don't just "process" the candidate—engage meaningfully. - Megan McCann, McCann Partners
13. Ask Behavioral-Based Questions
Focus on asking behavioral-based questions. These types of questions get candidates to share specific examples from their past experiences, giving you a better understanding of their abilities and whether they're a good fit for the job. - William Stonehouse, Crawford Thomas Recruiting
14. Maintain An Open Mind
It is vital for recruiters to maintain an open mind during the candidate selection process. Just because you're speaking with a prospect about one opportunity does not guarantee that it's the appropriate fit. Inquire about what they are looking for in their ideal job and take a broader view of their skills and expertise. There may be a better fit for them in another role in the future. - Lynne Marie Finn, Broadleaf Results
15. Evaluate Skills
My tip is to focus on evaluating skills rather than finding big names on resumes. Look for relevant experience and problem-solving abilities that align with your job requirements. Move towards skill-based assessments and ask probing questions to gauge candidates' capabilities. Be sure to learn about the required skills and what defines the correct answers. - Kshitij Jain, Joveo
16. Maintain Focus And Structure
Focus and structure are two key aspects of the interview process. Have a clear definition of the skills you aim to assess and how these manifest within the context of the specific position in your organization. Prepare a set of questions to assess each skill, and ask all candidates the same questions. This way, you will gain clarity on the skills relevant to the job and will be able to consistently compare candidates based on relevant skills. - Shiran Danoch, Informed Decisions
17. Look For Soft Skills
Look beyond skills-led interviewing. Yes, it's important to assess a basic level of skillset, particularly for technical jobs. But if you hire a candidate with the right attitude, they'll soon fill in any gaps they may have on the skills front. Qualifying candidates based on cultural markers like values, work ethic, adaptability and soft skills will lead to greater long-term success in a role. - Alex Gillespie, Gillespie Manners
18. Find Candidates' Intrinsic Motivations
Prioritize uncovering candidates' intrinsic motivations through specific questions about their drives, ideal work environments and core values. This strategy is key to finding candidates who are not just skilled but also truly committed and likely to thrive, ensuring mutual long-term success for both the individual and the organization. - Katrina Jones, Acacia Network
19. Implement Behavioral Interviewing
Behavioral interviewing is great because it puts your candidate in a real-life situation of the day-to-day of your organization. However, dig deeper—create behavioral interviewing questions and answers that you can evaluate candidates' responses against. Having a rubric for answers not only ensures more compatible hires but also structures your process even further. - Nakisha Dixon, Vercara
20. Set Expectations About The Hiring Process
Communicate with your candidates clearly. It's important to be respectful and set expectations about the length of the hiring process. - Kevin Walters, Top DEI Consulting
