In this article you will find:
Purpose of a structured interview
Interviews allow us to gather information to assess a candidate's suitability for the job. If we choose an unstructured, go-with-the-flow interview style, we may be given too much, sometimes unnecessary, information that can influence our interpretation of relevant information. This can lead to inconsistency (unfairness) between candidates and (even more) human biases, leading to inaccurate judgments (Dana et al., 2013).
A suggestion to address this is to standardize the interview procedure, especially the interview questions. While candidates demonstrate different past behaviors (experiences) in different situations, structured interviews help us make these behaviors more comparable between candidates. To achieve a successful interview, it is necessary to ask questions in a standardized way. This way, we ensure that you evaluate all candidates consistently and fairly with reduced underlying biases. Knowing that someone likes to bake and does bouldering in their spare time doesn't really say anything about their abilities at work. However, it can subconsciously influence our judgment about the information we receive next based on whether we identify with them or perhaps even develop a preference because of shared interests.
To reduce human biases and possible unfairness that threaten accuracy, we can start by choosing the right and same interview procedure for each candidate. In the following sections, we give you in-depth interview guidelines so you can get the most relevant information you need in a short time.
What to do prior to a job interview
Check your candidates' game results
The very first step is to evaluate candidates' strengths and challenges by finding out which end of the spectrum they are on for the traits measured by the games. This way, you already have a good idea of who you will be interviewing.
Define criteria (must-have traits/ characteristics) for potential candidates
Take a moment to think about what the most critical characteristics or traits are that a successful candidate should possess. Should they have attention to detail? Or is problem-solving ability important in this particular position? It is helpful to write down these traits for the next step. If you are not sure which traits are relevant to the position, we recommend filling out the HCIS to get a clearer picture of the traits you need for the position.
Define the interview questions
After getting a brief picture of the candidates, it is important to get all the necessary information during the interview (only). We recommend to choose in advance the characteristics you want to ask questions about in order to have a more standardized and consistent interview process for each candidate. According to the candidates' buckets, you can select the relevant interview questions that we have prepared for you in the later sections.
For example, you want to know what challenges candidates face in terms of their problem-solving approach. To do this, you choose one or two questions from the pool of problem-solving questions, depending on the bucket the candidates fall into. These questions are designed to address challenges that a systematic, neutral or intuitive problem solver might encounter.
You can, of course, include other behavioral, skill and motivation questions. The important thing to remember is that everyone has probably encountered both favorable and challenging situations. The main purpose of a job interview is not only to know the candidates' strengths, but also to evaluate how the existing team can respond to, and help with, the challenges they face on the job.
Create a scoring system
After determining the interview questions, we recommend creating a scoring system to consistently evaluate candidates. It does not have to be a complicated formula, instead the scoring can be as simple as assigning 0-3 points for each answer. For example:
3 points for an extraordinary answer,
2 points for a good answer,
1 point for an average answer
0 points for an unsatisfactory answer.
In addition, we recommend determining in advance what would be considered an extraordinary response and what would be considered an unsatisfactory response.
Aside from the interview questions, feel free to add other factors that you think are important or crucial, such as the impression you have of candidates, candidate motivation or extra bonus points. The easiest way is to assign the same weight to each factor/question. The impression factor in particular should not be given too much weight, as this is a factor that is easily influenced by unconscious biases.
Desired interview structure
Reflecting on the scores of the games
To build a connection without asking personal questions, it can be helpful to break the ice by reflecting on the games scores. You can think of ways to ask some test score-related questions, such as what they think of the test score, do they recognize themselves in the test scores, and so on. Keep in mind that there may be a gap between self-perception and the actual test score. So it is important to remain objective and neutral at this stage. Treat this as an opportunity to learn more about candidates' perceptions of the game scores or their approach to the application process and build a secure foundation for interviewing candidates.
2. Ask the questions that have been prepared
It's time to ask the questions you prepared in advance. Remember to stick to those questions as much as possible. The more you stick to these questions, the more honest you will be with all candidates applying for the position. By asking a similar number of questions to candidates, you can ensure that the information you obtain about candidates is at the same level and therefore comparable in a fair way. For example, by asking questions about problem-solving style, candidates who are more intuitive and systematic will have the same opportunity to express their challenges when approaching problems.
At this point, we want to remind you that the main purpose of the interview is to help you better understand the implications of test scores for each unique candidate. Based on the candidates' test scores, we can already see some of their potential underlying strengths and challenges in their work. Throughout their lives, they have already been able to develop some strategies to deal with these challenges. If they haven't, an interview is a good way to find out how you could help them with those challenges. By asking these questions, keep in mind that this is an opportunity for them to clarify their coping strategies and see if these ways of dealing with challenges can be met by your team.
For example, a candidate is more on the collaborative side in the Pitch game and may have difficulty making decisions independently. So they tend to seek the opinion of their peers every time before making a decision to make sure their decision is correct (their coping strategies). It is time to ask yourself: is your existing team able to work with that approach (to what extent can your team accommodate this candidate's strategies)?
We recommend rating candidates' answers directly on the rating card to avoid possible (un)conscious biases in a later evaluation. We have created a sample rating card that you can use as a template. Don't forget to make a copy so you can edit it yourself. The rating card can be found here, there is a tab with an example and a blank tab.
3. Leave candidates some time to ask questions.
In our opinion, an interview should be a two-way street, that is, you get some information from candidates and the candidates are likely to want to gain insights from this process as well. Candidates usually spend a lot of time preparing for the interview, such as researching your company, thinking about how best to present themselves, and more. Many internal stories of the company (for example, the way your company approaches tasks, the company's atmosphere, etc.) they cannot find out via the Internet. Be sure to leave some time for candidates to ask questions. If a candidate cares enough to ask you such detailed questions, this can also be a sign that they are interested and passionate about working for your company.
Job interview questions pools
The Ferry (problem-solving style and ability)
Problem-solving style
For systematic candidates:
→ These interview questions will help you learn more about how they handle situations that may be challenging for them and whether your team can meet their preferences in completing tasks.
Can you think of a situation where you had to solve an unexpected problem with little information and if so, what did you do to solve it efficiently?
Have you ever been in a situation where you had to implement a trial and error approach to problem solving? If so, what did you do to successfully solve the problem?
Describe a time when you had to spontaneously solve a client's problem without a clear structure. What did you do to ensure optimal performance?
For neutral candidates:
→ These interview questions will help you better understand how their strategies for approaching a problem differ according to the situations.
When have you been involved in solving a complex problem in the past and what was your immediate response?
When you encounter a problem, what is the first thing you do to solve it?
For intuitive candidates:
→ These interview questions will help you learn more about when to approach a problem in a more systematic way and whether your team can meet their preferences in completing tasks.
Guide me through the steps you took when you encountered a complex problem. What were the results? What could you have done differently?
How would you respond if your manager told you to think more before taking action?
Problem-solving ability
For candidates with high problem-solving skills:
→ These interview questions will help you learn more about how they would approach a less challenging or (to them) boring task and whether your team can meet their preferences in completing tasks.
Can you give me an example of seeing an improvement opportunity when working on repetitive tasks? How have you taken advantage of this opportunity?
How would you approach a task that is less challenging because you have worked on something similar before?
For candidates with lower problem-solving abilities:
→ These interview questions will help you learn more about the challenges they may face when solving a problem and whether your team can accommodate them in completing tasks.
When did you have to change strategies at the last minute and how did you handle this situation?
Have you ever had to prevent a problem from escalating? If so, how did you do that?
How do you usually make sure your problems don't get out of hand?
How do you handle an unforeseen problem? How do you prioritize between different urgent tasks?
The Racer (cognitive flexibility)
For routined Candidates:
→ These interview questions will help you learn more about how they handle situations that may be challenging for them and whether your team can meet their preferences in completing tasks.
How do you feel when you have to work on different projects that require several things to be done at once? What could help you in this to perform to the best of your ability?
What were challenging situations when you started a new role? What did you or your colleagues do to help you overcome them?
Think of a situation where you embraced a new system, process, technology or idea at work that was different from what you usually do. What steps did you take to be fully engaged?
Describe a time when you were asked to adjust your schedule because a more urgent task came up. What did you do to ensure that your regular tasks remained unaffected?
Have you ever been in a situation where your company was reorganizing and you were assigned a task outside your job description? If so, how did you react to that?
Describe a time when you made a mistake. How did you handle it and what was the result?
How did you react when a task for which you/your team was responsible did not go as planned? What was the outcome?
Consider a situation when you were overwhelmed by an unforeseen problem. How did you respond to it and what was the outcome?
Recall a situation where you were faced with a “this is how we've always done it” attitude when implementing something new? How did you react in this situation?
For flexible candidates:
(Flexible candidates can usually adapt well to the changing environment, so there are no specific challenges they may face in their job).
The Pitch (collaboration)
For collaborative candidates:
→ These questions will help you better understand how they work with personal goals and independently, and also whether your team can meet their preferences in completing tasks.
Can you tell me about a personal development opportunity you worked on?
Tell me one time when you had to make decisions independently. What steps did you take to ensure that you performed well?
What do you do when your team members cannot come to an agreement after a long discussion?
Can you recall a situation when you were understaffed? If so, how did you handle it?
Describe a time when you had to communicate a difficult or unpleasant idea to teammates. How did you handle this situation? What were the results?
For neutral candidates:
→ These interview questions will help you better understand whether they act together or individually in different situations.
In your last job, how much of the work did you do alone and how much as part of a team? Which did you enjoy more?
Suppose you had to make a crucial decision immediately. What would you do in terms of collaboration/teamwork, can you give an example?
For individualistic candidates:
→ These questions will help you better understand how they work in a group environment and whether your team can meet their preferences in completing tasks.
Tell me about a project/task you were responsible for where you asked for help to achieve the desired results? How were you involved? What happened as a result?
How do you approach your colleague who asks for help?
How do you deal with people who are difficult to deal with?
Can you give me an example of a conflict within your team? How did you handle this situation?
Tell me about a time when you and your colleagues were working on a common goal. What happened during the process and what was the result?
Have you ever been in a situation where one of your colleagues made a mistake that would hurt your team's efforts? If so, how did you handle the situation?
How do you respond to colleagues who ask for help?
Describe a time when you received (negative/beneficial) feedback from your colleagues. How did you respond to the feedback?
Bird Spotting (trade-off between speed and accuracy)
For speed inclined candidates:
→ These interview questions will help you better understand how they handle situations where they need to apply some accuracy to tasks and whether your team can meet their preferences in completing tasks.
What methods do you use to control quality, especially when meeting tight deadlines?
How do you handle repetitive tasks?
How do you make sure you get all the essential details from a new important client?
Have you ever worked on something where it was crucial to be accurate? What steps did you take to ensure accuracy?
How do you feel about making mistakes? What would you do to minimize mistakes during your tasks?
For neutral candidates:
→ These interview questions will help you better understand how they balance accuracy and speed in different situations.
How do you balance quality and quantity?
What is more important to you, perfection or meeting deadlines?
Do you prefer to work for the “big picture” or for the “small details”? Give an example to back up your choice.
Do you have specific steps you follow to achieve quality and productivity in your work?
For candidates prone to accuracy:
→ These interview questions will help you better understand how they handle situations where they have to work under time pressure and whether your team can meet their preferences in completing tasks.
How do you minimize distractions in the workplace?
When you are interrupted by other things, what do you do to stay focused?
Have you ever dealt with a large task that needed to be completed within a very short time frame, how did you handle it? How do you ensure quality when deadlines are tight?
Fish Discovery (learning ability)
For candidates with lower to average working memory capacity:
→These interview questions will help you learn more about the challenges they may face when intentionally learning new things (with specific learning goals) or when being asked to process a lot of information at once and whether your team can process it when completing tasks.
Describe a time when you had to do something you were not trained to do. How did you handle it?
Tell about a situation where you had to learn something new in a short period of time. How did you proceed and what was the result?
How do you continue to learn and expand your knowledge now that you are no longer studying it?
Can you tell me about a personal development opportunity you worked on?
Can you share your strategies when you had to learn something new?
How do you manage to combine the opinions/feedback you get from different departments for a particular project? Give an example.
Do you recall a time when you successfully integrated information from different departments for a specific project? What steps did you take?
Describe a time when you approached a new task with a lot of information to process. How did you handle this?
What do you do to ensure that you stay engaged in your tasks?
Describe a time when you were disturbed by a last-minute request. What did you do to get your attention back to the task at hand?
Rating cards
To make the interview process even less biased, we recommend using rating cards to objectively assess the candidate's interview.
We recommend rating candidates' answers directly on a rating card to avoid possible (un)conscious biases in a later evaluation. We have created a sample rating card that you can use as a template. Don't forget to make a copy so you can edit it yourself. The rating card can be found here, there is a tab with an example and a blank tab.