What is the ideal interview process?

From first posting to in-person assessments and follow-up feedback, the job interview process involves multiple steps. And with any inefficiencies or lack of structure, you could lose the interest of valuable talent along the way.

Carefully planned interview preparation makes all the difference in hiring new employees. By creating and following a seamless workflow, you’ll be able to create a better experience for candidates and hiring managers alike. Here’s how to get started.

The interview process describes the steps used by employers to screen, evaluate, and select new employees. Although the exact methods used may vary by industry or role, the overall structure should remain the same throughout your organisation.

Preliminary interview preparation involves a discussion with all stakeholders regarding the specifics of the position. Team members must agree on the position’s details, including roles and responsibilities. It should also be clear who will be interviewing candidates, and who will manage the process. Setting clear expectations from the start encourages a smoother interview process.

To attract great-fit hires, you need a well-written description that attracts their attention. Remember, a job posting often forms the candidate’s first impression of your company, which means it needs to be as enticing and snappy as any marketing material.

LinkedIn offers 137 job templates to choose from, along with AI-assisted job description generation. Once created, it puts your job posting in front of the most qualified candidates, filtering by industry, skills, experience, and location. The system works quickly – 86% of small businesses receive a favourable response within 24 hours.

The next step in the interview process is sifting through all the resumes and responses to vet the most qualified candidates. As of February 2024, nearly 2 million unemployed Australians were actively seeking work, while a Gartner survey showed 57% of Australian employees quietly updating CVs and browsing job listings.

With so many candidates out there, comprehensive screening is essential. LinkedIn Jobs lets you build screening questions right into your post, while LinkedIn Recruiter matches you to the most qualified, interested candidates using advanced search filters.

Before proceeding to the next stage of the interview process, a quick phone screening offers a valuable way to informally touch base. Conduct a quick check of skills, experiences, and background with phone interview questions, so you’ll be able to tackle more in-depth lines of questioning in person.

The best interview structure will depend on factors like industry, role, and whether the position is remote or not. How many interviews will be conducted, and which team members will attend?

Once you’ve determined the structural basics, it’s time to carefully plan the specific questions that will be asked at each round. Standardising questions creates a fair, objective interview process. These typically cover the following categories:

• Background interview questions are general. For example, phone interview questions relate to the candidate’s experience within the role, sector, and future career plans.

• Behavioural interview questions assess the candidate’s reaction to specific work situations, drawing from past examples as well as theoretical situations.

• Situational interview questions assess problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, the interviewer presenting problems and asking for solutions.

• Creative interview questions assess the candidate’s ability to think on their feet. There may not be a ‘correct’ answer.

What should be the last question in an interview? 

Do you have any questions for us? End of interview questions give candidates the chance to ask their own questions. Rather than sending them out the door, this is a good chance to walk around the office and share more about your company culture.

The most effective interviews also end with a discussion of the next steps. Candidates should receive a clear time limit regarding when they can expect to hear from you, creating engagement right from the start. 

Work sample tests complement the interview process by showcasing the candidate’s skills. This also helps reduce bias in the hiring process, providing side-by-side performance comparisons. Make your assessments more engaging with live debrief sessions and firsthand tasks.

Create a scoring framework to fairly evaluate each candidate. This might take the form of an interview scorecard, checklist, or points system. In addition to rating start-to-end interview questions and answers, consider assessments results and background checks.

An efficient interview process involves a positive employee experience from start to finish.

• Provide pre-interview prep: Give candidates everything they need to succeed with a clear briefing or checklist. This should cover everything from dress code to directions. Provide resources they might need to prepare, setting expectations for a more positive outcome.

• Showcase your brand: Interviews are a two-way street. Highlight why your company’s culture, benefits, and opportunities make it such a great place to work.

• Keep the process efficient: Don’t overcomplicate the process with unnecessary interview stages. In most cases, two stages (initial assessment and 2nd round interview questions) are sufficient.