As we mentioned in Part 1 of this article, the last 2 mistakes are going to reveal detail about how interviewers can make the interview much less effective than expected.

4. Group interviews

Interviewers often enjoy group interview since it saves time and energy. This convenient method however can turn out to be terrifying for job candidates.

Group consensus is a black hole that may destroy your efforts to get at the candidate's best. It's too easy for the interview team to gravitate towards the same opinion.

If the position requires working predominately within a team, a group interview can provide a feel for the candidate's suitability. In that case, tell the candidates ahead of time so they can prepare. The interviewer needs to prepare too. In particular, it’s advised to prepare an assignment that will be handled by the group. By watching them solve problems in a group, you will find it easier to know how they do in teamwork. 
Otherwise, hold individual sessions.

Infographic: What Makes a Successful Team?

5. Don’t overlook small behaviours

The first thing that turns interviews into monologues is an interviewer talking too much. The conversation should be 90% candidate and 10% you—at most.

Briefly describe the position. Better yet, make sure the candidate has a good feel for the position and the company before the interview. Explain you'll answer questions at the end. Then dive in.

The second thing is how to record your result.

There will be at least once you look at your record for the candidates and see all the metal boxes used to evaluate them checked off as “Okay”. Experience, okay; qualifications, okay; attitude, okay. A mediocre candidate with no negatives seems like a great candidate. The scale is supposed to go: Great, Good, Okay, Not Okay… so on. Feel free to check off mental boxes as an initial sorting tool, but then look for the candidate who not just meets requirements but kills the requirements.

Never settle for good enough. Always look for excellence. Don’t stop when you think you have just found the best one. Keep seeing the last one in the pool.

Last but not least, start the interview before they enter the room.

What candidates do while waiting in the lobby can indicate a lot: how they treated the receptionist, what they did while they waited. You can also ask about any chance encounters with other employees. Sometimes, there is a disconnection between what they show you and what they show the people they're not trying to impress.

Read more: The waiter rule and how to discover a job candidate’s true self

Job interviews can be a nerve-wracking experience for the applicant and a time-consuming exercise for the hiring company. However, they play a key role in determining whether the company and candidate will make an effective match. For interviewers, knowing what mistakes to avoid can help ensure that the interview is conducted in the most effective way, and that the most suitable candidate is chosen.

Get to know more about common mistakes in interviews, download our whitepaper now.