How To Be a Good Interviewer: Strategies for Effective Interviewing

Why being a good interviewer matters

Effective interviewing can help an organization:

• Evaluate skills and experience against actual job requirements

• Gather comparable evidence from different candidates

• Reduce decisions based only on instinct or first impressions

• Identify strengths, risks and areas requiring further verification

• Give candidates a realistic understanding of the role

• Represent the organization professionally

• Use hiring managers’ and candidates’ time efficiently

• Create defensible documentation for hiring decisions

• Improve the likelihood that a selected candidate accepts the offer

Interviewing skill also benefits managers and HR professionals personally. It develops listening, questioning, evaluation, communication and decision-making abilities that apply to performance conversations, stakeholder research and leadership.

Qualities of a good interviewer

A strong interviewer is:

• Prepared: Understands the role, candidate background and interview plan.

• Clear: Asks focused questions and explains the process accurately.

• Curious: Uses relevant follow-up questions to understand evidence.

• Consistent: Gives candidates for the same role a comparable opportunity to respond.

• Objective: Evaluates answers against predetermined criteria.

• Respectful: Protects the candidate’s time, privacy and dignity.

• Attentive: Listens without planning the next question too early.

• Adaptable: Can clarify or probe without abandoning the interview structure.

• Transparent: Shares what can reasonably be disclosed about the role and timeline.

• Self-aware: Recognizes personal assumptions and avoids letting rapport substitute for evidence.

Warmth and objectivity are compatible. You can make a candidate comfortable while still asking rigorous questions and scoring the evidence consistently.

How to be a good interviewer

1. Clarify what the job requires

Before writing questions, identify the outcomes the person must deliver and the competencies required to produce them. Separate essential qualifications from preferences.

For each competency, define observable evidence. “Strong communicator” is vague. For a customer success role, it might mean explaining complex information, listening for customer needs, managing difficult conversations and documenting agreed next steps.

Avoid evaluating characteristics that are unrelated to job performance. The interview should help determine whether the candidate can succeed in the work, not whether they resemble existing team members.

2. Choose an appropriate interview format

Common formats include:

• Phone or video screen: Confirms basic qualifications, interest, availability and role expectations.

• Structured interview: Uses the same core questions and scoring criteria for each candidate.

• Panel interview: Allows several stakeholders to collect evidence in one conversation.

• Technical interview: Evaluates occupation-specific knowledge or problem-solving.

• Work sample: Asks the candidate to complete a task resembling actual work.

• Case interview: Explores analysis, assumptions and recommendations for a business problem.

• Final conversation: Resolves remaining questions and allows senior stakeholders to assess role-specific priorities.

Use only stages that add useful evidence. Repeating similar interviews wastes time and can create inconsistent impressions.

3. Build a structured interview guide

A guide should include:

• Opening script

• Role overview

• Core questions linked to competencies

• Acceptable follow-up prompts

• Time allocation

• Candidate question period

• Scoring anchors

• Closing and next-step script

Ask the same core questions in the same general order for every candidate applying to the same role. Follow-up questions may differ because answers differ, but they should clarify job-related evidence rather than introduce an entirely new standard.

4. Create a scorecard before meeting candidates

A scorecard turns broad impressions into defined criteria. For each competency, describe what weak, acceptable and strong evidence might look like.

Competency	Example question	Evidence to assess
Prioritization	Tell me about a time two urgent deadlines conflicted.	Decision criteria, communication, trade-offs and outcome
Collaboration	Describe a project that required several teams to agree.	Stakeholder awareness, listening, influence and shared result
Problem-solving	Walk me through a difficult problem you diagnosed.	Analysis, assumptions, options, action and learning
Customer judgment	Tell me about a request you could not fulfill as asked.	Empathy, boundaries, alternatives and follow-through
Learning agility	Describe a skill you had to learn quickly.	Learning method, resourcefulness, application and result

Assign weights only when they reflect actual job priorities. Do not allow a low-priority preference to outweigh an essential skill accidentally.

5. Coordinate with other interviewers

For a panel or multistage process, decide who assesses each competency. Share the interview guide, scoring method and role context. This prevents candidates from answering the same question repeatedly while important areas remain untested.

Clarify who will open, take notes, manage time and answer candidate questions. Interviewers should submit independent ratings before a group discussion so that the first or most senior speaker does not shape everyone else’s view.

6. Review the candidate’s materials

Read the resume, application, work samples and relevant recruiter notes before the meeting. Mark areas that require clarification, such as the candidate’s exact role in a project or the relationship between two career moves.

Do not use online searches to explore protected personal information or unrelated activities. Follow organizational policy and applicable law when reviewing public professional profiles.

7. Prepare the logistics

Confirm the time, location or video link, names of interviewers, expected duration and any preparation required. Tell the candidate how to request an accommodation.

For virtual interviews, test audio, video and screen sharing. Prepare a backup contact method. For onsite interviews, reserve a private, accessible space and ensure reception knows whom to expect.

8. Begin with a clear introduction

Welcome the candidate, introduce everyone and explain the structure. A simple opening might be:

Thank you for meeting with us. We have 45 minutes together. I’ll briefly introduce the role, then ask questions about your experience. We’ll leave the final 10 minutes for your questions and finish by explaining the next steps. I’ll take notes so I can evaluate your answers accurately.

Brief rapport-building can reduce anxiety, but do not spend so long on casual conversation that the candidate loses time to demonstrate relevant experience.

9. Ask open, job-related questions

Use questions that invite evidence rather than a rehearsed yes-or-no response.

Behavioral questions examine past experience:

• Tell me about a time you had to influence someone who initially disagreed.

• Describe a project that did not go according to plan. What did you do?

• Give an example of how you improved a recurring process.

Situational questions explore a realistic future scenario:

• How would you respond if two senior stakeholders gave you conflicting priorities?

• What would you do if a customer requested a feature the team could not deliver?

• How would you approach your first 30 days in this role?

Technical or role-specific questions assess knowledge and judgment:

• Which metrics would you use to evaluate this campaign, and why?

• How would you diagnose a sudden increase in application errors?

• What information would you review before recommending a staffing change?

Avoid trick questions and brainteasers unless they genuinely represent the work and have a defined evaluation method.

10. Use neutral follow-up questions

When an answer lacks detail, probe without suggesting the preferred response:

• What was your specific responsibility?

• What options did you consider?

• How did you decide what to do first?

• Who else was involved?

• What was the measurable result?

• What would you do differently now?

• How did you know the solution worked?

Do not rescue a candidate by supplying the missing answer. Rephrase a confusing question, but let the person provide their own evidence.

11. Practice active listening

Give the candidate space to complete an answer. Maintain attentive body language appropriate to the setting, and use brief acknowledgments without signaling that one answer guarantees a favorable score.

Listen for the complete story: context, individual contribution, decision process, result and learning. Notice when a candidate consistently says “we,” then ask respectfully what they personally owned.

Silence can be useful. A candidate may need a moment to recall a detailed example. Interrupt only when the answer has moved far from the question or time is at risk.

12. Take factual notes

Record evidence and concise quotes rather than appearance, personality judgments or assumptions. “Negotiated revised deadline with finance; project delivered two days late with no client impact” is more useful than “seems confident.”

Tell the candidate you are taking notes to support accurate evaluation. Store and retain notes according to company policy and applicable law. Do not include irrelevant personal information.

13. Provide a realistic description of the job

Explain the responsibilities, success measures, reporting relationship, team structure and foreseeable challenges. If the role includes travel, variable hours, physical requirements or demanding deadlines, describe them accurately and in a job-related way.

Avoid overselling the position. A candidate who accepts based on incomplete information may leave quickly or become disengaged. If you do not know the answer to a question, say so and arrange a follow-up.

14. Leave time for candidate questions

Candidate questions can reveal priorities and preparation, but their main purpose is to help the person evaluate the opportunity. Answer honestly within confidentiality limits.

Useful information may include:

• Priorities during the first three to six months

• How performance is measured

• Team workflow and decision-making

• Training and onboarding

• Current challenges

• Hiring timeline and remaining stages

Do not judge a candidate harshly for asking about compensation, flexibility or benefits. These are legitimate factors in an employment decision, although timing norms vary by organization and market.

15. Close professionally

Thank the candidate, state the next step, name the contact person and provide a realistic timeline. Avoid making promises you are not authorized to make.

Ask whether the candidate needs to add any relevant information. Then end on time. If the process changes later, communicate the update instead of leaving the person without information.

16. Score the evidence promptly

Complete the scorecard immediately after the interview and before discussing the candidate with others. Rate each competency using the predefined anchors and cite evidence from your notes.

Distinguish “no evidence collected” from “negative evidence.” If an interviewer forgot to ask a question, the candidate should not receive a low rating for the interviewer’s omission. Arrange a focused follow-up if the missing information is essential.

17. Conduct a structured debrief

During the debrief, review competencies rather than asking who everyone “liked.” Invite interviewers to share ratings and evidence, identify conflicting observations and decide whether further verification is necessary.

Challenge statements such as “not a culture fit,” “too quiet” or “not executive enough.” Ask what job-related behavior the comment refers to and whether the same standard was applied to all candidates.

18. Follow up with candidates

Keep candidates informed about delays, additional stages and final decisions. Use approved templates where appropriate, but personalize communication for finalists or people who invested significant time.

Feedback practices differ by organization and jurisdiction. If you provide feedback, keep it job-related, accurate and consistent with the documented decision.

What are the 5 C’s of effective interviewing?

A practical framework includes:

1. Clarity: Define the role, question and expected evidence clearly.

2. Curiosity: Explore relevant details without leading the candidate.

3. Consistency: Use comparable core questions and scoring criteria.

4. Competency: Focus on capabilities connected to job performance.

5. Candidate experience: Treat the person’s time, privacy and questions with respect.

Some frameworks use “culture” as the final C. If you assess culture, define it through observable workplace values and behaviors. Avoid using vague “fit” as a substitute for personal similarity.

How to reduce bias in interviews

Bias can affect which details interviewers notice, how they interpret the same behavior and how much evidence they require. Helpful controls include:

• Define criteria before reviewing candidates.

• Use structured core questions.

• Create behavior-based scoring anchors.

• Train interviewers on bias and legal responsibilities.

• Use more than one trained evaluator for important decisions.

• Score independently before discussion.

• Require written evidence for ratings.

• Avoid comparing candidates with one another before evaluating each against the role.

• Audit outcomes and selection patterns when appropriate.

• Revisit tools or questions that do not predict relevant performance.

Structure does not eliminate bias, but it makes the process easier to examine and improve.

Interview questions to avoid

Employment laws vary by country, state and locality. Obtain qualified HR or legal guidance for the roles and locations involved.

In the United States, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recommends avoiding questions about personal characteristics protected by law, including race, color, religion, sex, national origin and age. Questions about pregnancy, family plans, disability, medical history, religion, citizenship and other personal subjects can create legal risk or discourage candidates.

Ask about the job requirement instead of a personal circumstance. For example:

• Instead of “Do you have children?” explain the required schedule and ask whether the candidate can meet it.

• Instead of “Where are you originally from?” ask whether the candidate is legally authorized to work, using the organization’s approved wording and process.

• Instead of asking about a disability, describe essential job functions and follow the lawful accommodation process.

Interviewers should know how to respond if a candidate voluntarily shares protected personal information: acknowledge briefly, do not explore it and redirect to job-related criteria.

How to handle difficult or unexpected interview responses

The candidate gives a vague answer

Ask for a specific example: “Could you walk me through one situation and your individual actions?” If the answer remains vague, document the evidence collected without arguing.

The candidate speaks for too long

Interrupt respectfully: “I want to make sure we cover the remaining competencies. Could you summarize the result in one or two sentences?”

The candidate becomes emotional

Pause, offer a moment and respond with empathy without pressing for personal information. Ask whether the person is comfortable continuing. Follow company procedures if the situation involves accommodation or safety concerns.

The candidate criticizes a former employer

Redirect toward behavior and learning: “What action did you take in that situation, and what would you do differently now?” Evaluate judgment rather than rewarding or punishing the criticism itself.

The candidate asks something you cannot answer

Say that you want to provide accurate information, note the question and identify who will follow up. Do not invent a policy or compensation detail.

The candidate discloses confidential information

Stop the level of detail politely and state that you do not need proprietary information. Refocus on the candidate’s process, contribution and result at an appropriate level.

Tips for virtual interviews

• Test the platform, microphone and camera in advance.

• Send the link and access instructions early.

• Provide a phone number or alternative connection method.

• Use a quiet, professional background and reduce notifications.

• Look at the camera periodically while still viewing the candidate naturally.

• Explain pauses caused by note-taking or connection delays.

• Do not penalize minor technical problems outside the candidate’s control.

• Ensure the process supports requested accommodations.

• Protect recordings and obtain required consent before recording.

Virtual communication can reduce nonverbal cues. Base decisions on the content of the response and job-related evidence rather than the quality of a person’s home setup.

Common interviewer mistakes

• Arriving without reading the resume or interview guide

• Talking more than the candidate

• Asking different core questions based on early impressions

• Using leading, trick or irrelevant questions

• Confusing personal chemistry with job capability

• Failing to explain the role realistically

• Taking vague or judgmental notes

• Letting one impressive answer dominate the whole assessment

• Penalizing a candidate for an interviewer’s missed question

• Discussing candidates before independent scoring

• Asking personal or potentially discriminatory questions

• Running over time without permission

• Failing to communicate delays or decisions

How to improve your interviewing skills

Review your performance as deliberately as you review candidates. You can:

• Conduct mock interviews with an experienced colleague.

• Ask another trained interviewer to observe and give feedback.

• Compare your questions with the competency scorecard.

• Track how often you interrupt or ask leading follow-ups.

• Review whether your notes contain evidence or impressions.

• Examine disagreement patterns during debriefs.

• Ask candidates for process feedback through an appropriate survey.

• Monitor whether interview scores predict later job performance where lawful and feasible.

• Update questions when they produce rehearsed but uninformative answers.

• Refresh training on accommodations, privacy and employment law.

Improvement is an ongoing process. A question that worked for one role may be irrelevant for another, and hiring practices should evolve with the work and applicable requirements.

Build Consistent Interview Materials With Dokie

Recruiters, hiring managers and HR teams can use Dokie to turn competency frameworks, interview agendas, scorecard guidance and candidate-experience training into a professional presentation. Its AI presentation workflow can help create interviewer briefings, hiring-process proposals and manager workshops without requiring every slide to be designed manually.

Dokie also supports slide-level revisions, consistent visual themes and PowerPoint export, making it easier to update one competency or process step while preserving the full training deck. Before use, HR and legal stakeholders should verify that every question, instruction and example matches current company policy and the laws applying to the role’s location.

Frequently asked questions

What makes someone a good interviewer?

A good interviewer prepares carefully, asks clear job-related questions, listens actively, uses neutral follow-ups and evaluates evidence against consistent criteria. They also respect the candidate’s time and communicate the next steps.

How much should an interviewer talk?

There is no fixed ratio, but the candidate should have enough time to provide meaningful evidence and ask questions. Keep role explanations concise and avoid turning the interview into a long description of your own experience.

Should every candidate receive the same questions?

Candidates for the same role should generally receive the same core questions and evaluation criteria. Relevant follow-up questions can vary because each candidate’s experience and initial answer differ.

How should an interviewer take notes?

Record concise, job-related facts, actions and results. Avoid personal judgments and protected information. Store notes according to company policy and legal retention requirements.

How do you evaluate culture fit fairly?

Replace vague “fit” with defined behaviors connected to workplace values, such as sharing information, handling disagreement or taking responsibility. Evaluate how the candidate might contribute to the culture, not whether they resemble the existing team.

What should an interviewer say at the end?

Thank the candidate, invite any final relevant information, explain the remaining stages, provide a realistic timeline and identify the appropriate contact for follow-up questions.

Can an interviewer give feedback to an unsuccessful candidate?

That depends on company policy, legal guidance and the circumstances. When feedback is provided, it should be accurate, job-related, respectful and consistent with the documented decision.