How to streamline your interview processes

An interview is as much for the interviewer as it is for the candidate.

You can glean a lot out of the answers candidates give. Whether it's highlighting their values or their objectives, the contents really do inform the outcome going forward. 

But how do you make sure you get the right information out of an interview? Can you get informed about cultural fit and past experiences simultaneously? Is it doable to give a candidate the information about the role they may go onto inhabit whilst also understanding their behavioural responses to specific situations? 

The answer is yes, but it takes some thought. The goal is to refine the process to a point where the candidate's experience is enhanced, whilst ensuring you find the best fit for your team in an efficient way. 

With that in mind, here are some ways you can streamline interview processes without sacrificing valuable insight. 

Create a targeted question bank

What you ask is just as vital as what candidates answer with. 

Questions should be specific enough to the role, but not lack the openness required to get an individual and personalised response from the person answering. They should lead into a discussion, rather than a purely 'yes' or 'no' response. 

By creating a question bank full of open, repeatable questions, it's easier to access the information you need as well as making sure the process is more fair, equal, and consistent for candidates.

Set clear timelines and next steps

Wanting to understand expectations can be a sign of enthusiasm, but it's often better to manage these ambitions through clarity within the interview conversation itself, rather than separately. Candidates who are better informed about next steps in the process are more likely to maintain interest and momentum. 

For us as a recruiter, having the interview process set out from the starts means timelines are more likely to be stuck to, managing the expectations of both parties (clients and candidates) as well as avoiding unexpected stages that can prolong the process.

Cut out unnecessary rounds

Not unlike the previous point, part of streamlining interview processes is literally streamlining them. 

Why ask the same questions again and again, by different people, if you already know the answer? Every extra round increases the candidate drop-out risk, so it's important to be concise and efficient in your delivery and interview style, as well as when it comes to how many interview rounds there are.

Combine purposes where you can

Consider if you can get two things out of one question - like assessing problem solving and understanding past experiences.

Whilst relevancy for a role is important, you can often gauge things like whether they've worked in similar positions or for similar companies from their CV. What can be less obvious is are they equipped to deal with circumstances that might be specific to your company?

If you're tactical about how you ask questions, you can dig into both by asking questions about their professional history and situations that may have occurred. How they respond will help you get a sense of their character and capabilities, sometimes a better sense than if the questions are purely achievements focused. 

Maintain transparency and communication

Whether it's through tactically deployed automation, or personalised messaging, it's important to keep candidates in the loop throughout. From interview confirmations, to explanations of next steps, to any rejections, keep comms respectful and timely is key to great candidate experience.
 

So, in summary, these strategies can help you to reduce unnecessary interview steps, save you time, and create a more focused and insightful interview process.