You procure a new blazer to ensure your upper body looks impeccable on Zoom. You test your audio numerous times. Your resume shines, your cover letter flawless, and you have extensively researched your potential new company. Then, out of nowhere, a question catches you off guard, leaving you puzzled. Perhaps it’s, “So tell me about an embarrassing incident at work and how you handled it?” or “If you were a tree, what type of tree would you be?”
Like every candidate, you question the relevance of such inquiries to your skills, abilities, and fit at the company—and you’re not mistaken.
“Transparency is crucial because candidates often feel left in the dark during the interview process, not fully comprehending what’s going on or why, which hinders them from presenting their best selves,” Laura Gassner Otting, a speaker, executive search veteran, and author of Limitless and Wonderhell, emphasizes the importance of asking better interview questions. She points out that many individuals haven’t received career counseling in years, possibly since high school or college, and such guidance may no longer be relevant due to changing times or industry shifts.
She suggests that candidates should grasp the reasoning behind a company’s questions, understand what the company is seeking, and provide more insightful responses.
The subject sparked a conversation for Madi Baldwin, who operates in entrepreneurship and innovation, when she shared a positive interview experience on LinkedIn:
| I participated in an interview in June that completely altered my perception of how interviews should be conducted. A week before our scheduled meeting, the hiring team sent me an email outlining… “To bring out the best in applicants, our philosophy is to be completely transparent about the process and its steps. The sole aim of the interview process is to draw out the best from candidates – we want you to succeed, so assist us in saying yes by sharing your experiences, passions, etc. Below you’ll find the list of questions we’ll pose to you.” 🤯 Not only did they list the questions, they also explained the WHY behind the questions. AND they concluded the email with two linked articles that they recommended reading to prepare. And do you know what? It was the most remarkable interview I’ve ever undergone. It was also one of the briefest #interviews I’ve encountered. I was taken aback when I only received a 20-minute calendar invite. However, due to the team’s thorough preparation – I could represent myself better than in previous hour-long interviews. It was evident that they weren’t just looking for a square peg to fit into a hole, but for the successful candidate to be someone who would thrive. Lesson learned? Don’t evaluate applicants based on how quickly and wittily they respond to your interview questions. Give them the opportunity to prepare, and you might discover incredible hidden #talent right in front of you 🚀 |
Her post received over 6,000 reactions and 100 comments for a reason—people desired to participate in interview processes like that rather than what they had previously encountered.
Here is how experts propose interviewers, and interviewees, can enhance the interview procedure to promote transparency and ultimately recruit superior talent.
How to be a good interviewer: Discard the traditional five questions
Any individual who has been in HR or served in a hiring capacity has likely been handed a shortlist of basic questions to pose to job candidates. Gassner Otting believes this is problematic.
“The person asks those same five questions without knowing why they are asking them or where they’re headed with it,” she remarks. “They also fail to recognize that they can follow-up with additional questions.” She asserts that treating all candidates exactly the same is not helpful as each candidate is unique.
Instead, enhanced interview questions require a deeper level of inquiry. She suggests a different approach: Instead of simply asking “tell me about a time something went wrong,” you could also inquire about “how they took ownership of the situation? How quickly did they rectify the issue? Did they seek assistance early on? Who did they turn to?”
Moreover, Leanne Mair, CEO and founder of Benefactum Consulting and author of Closing the Gap: How to Include Black Women in Any Gender Equity Strategy advises against posing “off-target” questions. These might include:
- Questions about willingness to work extended hours or overtime: “While dedication and commitment are desirable traits in employees, framing this question in a way that implies a candidate’s personal life might have to take a backseat can deter female candidates who may have caregiving responsibilities or other commitments outside of work.”
- Questions concerning balancing work and family: “While maintaining a work-life balance is crucial, directing this question specifically at female candidates implies assumptions about their caregiving duties and could unfairly prejudice them in the recruitment process.”
Determine your timeline and criteria, and divulge them
“We’ll be in touch.” It’s the most dreaded expression for an eager candidate eagerly anticipating feedback on their interview performance and, ultimately, their prospects of advancing to the next stage or receiving an offer. Yet, it leaves them in the dark.
“Candidates often lack clarity on the decision-making timeframe and the evaluation criteria,” states Gassner Otting. She notes that job seekers may also be unaware of which listed qualifications are most crucial to highlight.
“Candidates often feel like they’re throwing spaghetti at a wall, randomly hoping for a good outcome; they’re uncertain,” she explains. She acknowledges that we live in a litigious society, and companies believe they have to be cautious not to overshare during the process. However, she suggests that companies can impart some details on how they weigh the metrics or requirements for the job.
Craft a comprehensive job description
Generic, AI-generated job descriptions often fail to depict the actual day-to-day responsibilities, let alone the specific qualifications that a candidate should be aware of.
“Drafting a more detailed job description also reinforces the culture of your existing employees,” Gassner Otting remarks, as it enables them to comprehend what the company values. “It’s a way to re-engage employees in their roles. It realigns individuals around the objectives at hand.”
A competent interviewer does not shy away from feedback
“Depending on the number of interview rounds, providing transparent feedback on why candidates didn’t progress to subsequent stages, as well as gathering input from candidates on their interview experience,” Mair suggests. “This offers a comprehensive view of how the process can be enhanced in the future.”
However, Gassner Otting advises against offering overly precise, detailed feedback, as it can backfire. “People will interpret their feedback based on their emotions rather than the actual content.” However, if the decision boiled down to certain qualifications or another objective reason, she deems it appropriate to share.
Embrace and promote candidate inquiries
“A ‘good’ candidate who asks numerous questions never made me perceive them as ‘bad,’” Gassner Otting reveals. “It doesn’t alter anything—in fact, it demonstrates their engagement, their interest in the role.” She mentions that while candidates should not inundate interviewers with queries through constant emails after interviews, they can also enhance transparency by explaining the reasoning behind their questions.
Ultimately, candidates who feel uncomfortable at any stage of the process should consider that it may indicate a misalignment between the position and the company’s culture with their values.
