The 4 most common interviewing mistakes I see companies make
As someone who has spent years interviewing candidates, sitting in on interviews with clients, and coaching candidates on how to deliver impactful interviews, I’m fortunate to have a high comfort level and some good insight on the subject of hiring.
I’d like to share the most common errors that I observe companies (not my clients) make when interviewing candidates.
If you opt to hire on your own, ensuring that your company does not make these same errors can help you refine your hiring practices to greater success.
Ladies and gentlemen, Avoid these mistakes.
1. Failure to Use Structured Interviews and Standardized Evaluations
While much progress has been made in this area over the last 20 years, I still see many companies who instruct their employees to interview a prospect with the simple instructions of “give us your thoughts on this candidate”, without a clear structure or consistent evaluation method. EVERY interviewer should be using a structured interview guide and using standardized evaluations.
Structured Interviews: These ensure all candidates are asked the same core questions to assess their skills, experience, and cultural fit.
Standardized Evaluation Rubrics: These encourage interviewers to score candidates based on specific, objective criteria (e.g., problem-solving, teamwork, technical skills). This ensures consistency and reduces the likelihood of bias affecting the decision-making process.
Large organizations or companies with progressive H.R. departments often avoid this error, but you would be amazed by the number of companies who do not follow this best-in-class practice.
2. The Persistent Halo Effect Bias
While much has been done to address common biases like affinity bias and confirmation bias, one bias that still rears its head is the Halo Effect Bias. This is the tendency to generalize about a candidate based on a single positive trait of that candidate.
In today’s competitive hiring landscape, where niche skill sets are more common and are in high demand (specific technology expertise, specific customer experience, specialized industry experience etc..), companies sometimes fall into the trap of filling one “critical” skill gap but inadvertently creating others. Traditionally the most common example would be in sales where a rainmaker can possibly help a desperate company’s sales fortunes but at the cost of corporate culture or employee collaboration etc..
Today I notice this error most when companies rely solely on job postings to attract candidates and hire someone simply because they were "the most industry qualified" person who applied to the company job posting.
3. Over-Focusing on Past Results Without Context
Many interviewers focus heavily on past results, or former key performance indicators, assuming that success in one company or position will automatically translate to success in another.
While past performance is important, it’s equally crucial to assess problem-solving and critical thinking abilities as well as how a candidate approaches new challenges. Here are some examples of questions and areas that go beyond just past achievements:
Scenario-Based Questions: These test a candidate’s ability to think critically and solve problems on the spot.
“If you were managing a project, and the client requested a significant change with a tight deadline, how would you handle it?”
“Imagine you’re given a task with limited resources. How would you ensure you meet the deadline?”
Communication and Collaboration questions: Understanding how candidates interact with others in teams is vital for assessing whether they’ll integrate well into your company culture.
“How do you navigate conflict within a team?”
“Can you describe a time when you had to collaborate with someone from a different department? How did you handle it?”
“How do you prefer to receive feedback, and how do you give it?”
One of the most common things I hear from companies after they’ve exited an employee and speak to me about finding their replacement is: “Unfortunately, their previous success didn’t transfer over to our company.” The reality is, different companies have different systems, processes, and resources, and past success doesn’t always equate to future performance.
4. Assuming the Job Is Done Once the Hire Is Made
Unfortunately, many companies fail to implement feedback loops or guide continuous improvement after a hire is made. It's not enough to just make the right hire; ongoing evaluation and coaching are key to ensuring long-term success.
Post-Hire Evaluations: Once a new hire has settled in, it’s essential to track their performance and assess whether they truly align with the company’s cultural values and expectations. If issues arise, the hiring process should be revisited to see what can be improved for future hires. Immediate feedback delivered properly can really drive transparency and trust, while also nipping bad habits early.
Continuous Coaching for Hiring Managers: Offer ongoing training and feedback to hiring managers to help them get the most out of their new employee. This can include role-playing interview scenarios or reviewing past interviews for areas of improvement. This does require a time commitment, but companies that practice this tend to have much lower turnover which affects productivity.
***TIP***
My biggest tip for companies in this area is to use the free tools at their disposal. If the candidate has completed a psychometric assessment or a DiSC Assessment, use those insights, suggestions and coaching tips to get the most out of the new hire. I am continually amazed when companies do not use this valuable information (which they have already purchased!) to maximize both onboarding and career development which benefits both the company and the candidate. This insight is usually located near the end of the candidate assessment report.
Hiring is an art and a science, and I hope you find my tips helpful. At Recruit King, we specialize in introducing our clients to the top talent that is “off the market.” If you have any questions or need guidance, feel free to reach out. We’re here to help you build the best teams possible.
Regards,
Mike