Five Pitfalls to Avoid in the Interview Room

We’ve seen hundreds of interviews go down in our HR history: some good, some bad, and many in-between. The interview is one of the first impressions you make on a potential hire. What can you do to entice the best candidates and prevent losing them to another employer’s offer? Check out these five tips to have an amazing interview. 

#1 - Remember, the interviewee is most likely nervous. 

Did you know that more people fear an interview than going to the dentist’s office?  (Source). Public speaking, and interviewing, are common fears. Instead of assessing the person’s confidence or public speaking skills, make sure you are asking questions about their skills and experiences for the job. If you’re hiring an office assistant, then their charisma or ability to sell themselves isn’t as important as if you are hiring a B2B sales and marketing specialist. 

#2 - Be aware of your own biases 

We all carry biases with us, but becoming aware of them helps us make judgments separate from our own bias. A few common biases include: 

The halo effect: one great trait about a candidate makes you think they are, overall, amazing. Say you really prioritize having Microsoft office suite certification. Once they check that box, you see them as a professional, competent person holistically. 

The horns effect: on the flip side, one off-putting characteristic may leave you completely questioning the qualifications of your candidate. Maybe their accent reminded you of your ex. Or, they worked for a company who burned you in the past. 

Similarity bias: Birds of a feather flock together… and work together? Sometimes we’re biased towards people we are similar to in some way. You find out your candidate also loves going to hot yoga classes, and you already imagine going with them once you are coworkers.  

Feeling a bias towards or against someone is a human reaction. Sit with it, and see if the bias you’re feeling is helping you, or hurting you, in making a good choice.  

#3 - Whether you like someone, and whether they can do the job, are totally different. 

You may LOVE one candidate who comes in with a fun-loving attitude and who you can imagine brightening up the entire office.

But, if they need to be attentive to detail and can’t figure out how to work a spreadsheet, you’re in for a world of trouble. 

Remember that you’re hiring someone to do a job, not be your office buddy. 

Liking them is great, but it’s secondary to them getting the job done with excellence! 

#4 - How long are you taking? 

The very best people are already employed. 

And the best job seekers? They’re going to get offers, and quickly. 

Yes, you want to make a good decision, and involve multiple decision makers. And yes, you want to assess skills, bring them to job shadow or see a reasonable work sample.

But, no, you don’t want to take forever. You’ll lose them to someone else. 

#5 - Avoid illegal questions 

Illegal questions center around protected classes - race, color, religion, sex and sexuality, nation of origin, age (over 40 years old), disability status. Even genetic information… which you probably don’t have, but if you did, you can’t use it in hiring, promotion, or termination choices either. Other protected classes are governed at the state level, so check your state’s laws. 

Illegal questions usually pop up innocently; you’re not intending to break rules or make someone uncomfortable, but they can slip into the conversation cleverly.  

“What an interesting name; is that your maiden name?” 

“Oh it is your maiden name; where are you from?” 

Marital status is a protected class in Florida per Florida Civil Rights Act 1992. 

You might have to break hearts by non-selecting a candidate, but you shouldn’t be breaking laws.