Interviewing is a skill that evolves with experience, and while many of us haven’t had formal training, real-world practice has its advantages. In fact, our recent LinkedIn poll revealed that 82% of respondents learned how to interview on the job, demonstrating how experience can be a powerful teacher! Would you benefit from improving your interview skills?
You’ve likely led many interviews and have even been on the other side of the table yourself. Interviewing is a skill that evolves with experience, and while many of us haven’t had formal training, real-world practice has its advantages.
Most Business Leaders Learn interview skills ” on the Job”
Our recent LinkedIn poll showed that 82% of business owners, directors, and managers developed their interview skills through on-the-job experience. This highlights a key strength: practical, real-world experience often teaches us more than formal training ever could.
- On-the-job learning builds real expertise: You’ve already developed a strong instinct for asking the right questions based on your experience in the field.
- Adaptability and flexibility: Learning through doing allows you to continuously refine your approach to interviews, making improvements as you go.
- Empowerment through experience: You’ve gained confidence in your ability to handle diverse candidates and varied interview situations.
This practical knowledge has already given you a strong foundation. With a few strategic adjustments, you can further enhance your interview process and secure the right talent for your team.
In this blog, we’ll share positive, practical strategies to help you refine your interview process to find the best talent. We’ll also introduce how ARV Solutions and our ARVIEW platform can support you in streamlining your recruitment process, saving time, and ensuring you’re making the best hiring decisions.
Focus on Outcomes for Success
You already have a clear idea of what you want from a new hire, but taking a moment to sharpen that focus on specific outcomes can make your interviews even more effective.
- Start with the end in mind: Define the key responsibilities and outcomes you expect from the role. This helps you frame your questions to focus on the results that matter.
- Tailor questions to match your goals: Ask questions that directly relate to the skills or experiences the candidate needs to succeed in the role.
- Highlight cultural fit: Skills can be taught, but a strong cultural fit is vital for long-term success. Assess how well candidates align with your company’s values and work environment.
For example, if you’re hiring for a customer service role, ask questions like, “How do you approach building long-term client relationships?” This helps you gauge a candidate’s experience in building rapport and creating value for clients.
Consistency Brings Clarity
While it’s natural to adapt questions based on how an interview flows, adding structure and consistency can bring real benefits. Whether you’re running a small business, leading a team as a director, or managing a department, consistent interviews help ensure you find the right fit.
- Create a core set of questions: Standardised questions help you compare candidates fairly and clearly, no matter the position.
- Ensure you cover all important areas: A structured interview ensures you don’t miss any critical topics or skills.
- Reduce bias and increase objectivity: Asking the same questions helps eliminate unconscious bias and ensures every candidate gets a fair assessment.
For example, if problem-solving is important to the role, ask every candidate to share an example of a time they solved a complex issue. This provides a clear way to assess their ability to tackle challenges.
Experience vs. Potential: A Balanced Approach
One common consideration when hiring is whether to prioritise experience or potential. The good news is you don’t have to choose one over the other—you can balance both based on what the role demands.
- Understand the role’s needs: Some positions may require specific experience, while others might benefit from a fresh perspective or a candidate with high growth potential.
- Ask competency-based questions: These questions assess both a candidate’s experience and their capacity to learn and adapt quickly. For example, “Can you describe a time when you had to quickly learn something new to solve a problem?”
- Look for growth potential: Even if a candidate has less experience, their ability to learn quickly and adapt could indicate long-term success for your business.
By focusing on both experience and potential, you can find candidates who not only meet current needs but also grow with your company.
This practical knowledge has already given you a strong foundation. With a few strategic adjustments, you can further enhance your interview process and secure the right talent for your team.
…and don’t forget: you are being interviewed too! In a candidate short market, they have a choice of employers, and are likely to get more than one job offer. It essential to get across your employee value proposition. What’s in it for them?
Enhance Your Process with ARV Solutions
If you’re looking to take your interview process to the next level or simply want to save time, ARV Solutions is here to help. Whether you’re a business owner, director, or manager, our team has the experience and tools to streamline your recruitment.
- Tailored interview support: We’ll work with you to define the key skills, traits, and outcomes you need in your ideal hire, helping you craft a structured, effective interview process.
- Expert recruitment advice: With decades of experience, we can offer strategies that have worked across industries to help you find the best candidates.
- Competency based questions: We can rapidly put together a list of the most relevant questions for you from professional pack we use ourselves.
Let ARVIEW save you valuable time, and bring far higher success rates.
One challenge business leaders often face is managing a busy schedule while ensuring they have time to meet the right candidates. Our ARVIEW platform allows you to review pre-recorded candidate interviews at your convenience (alongside CVs and our own interview notes, within our secure platform), making the entire process more efficient.
With ARVIEW, you can:
- Save time and focus on top candidates: Review pre-recorded video interviews before committing to face-to-face meetings.
- Tailor questions for consistency: Work with us to develop a set of interview questions that consistently assess key skills, cultural fit, and personality.
- Collaborate more effectively: Share candidate videos with other stakeholders to ensure collective input in hiring decisions.
- Increase efficiency with enhanced rebate terms: Our platform allows you to streamline the process and make hiring faster, more consistent, and more cost-effective. ARVIEW Clients can qualify for up to 6 month rebate schemes.
Key Benefits of Using ARVIEW
ARVIEW Better Recruitment incorporating video interviews
- More flexibility: Review candidates on your own schedule, without the time pressure of arranging multiple interviews.
- Deeper insights: Assess candidates’ personalities and key skills before deciding to meet them in person.
- Better collaboration: Share video interviews with other team members or partners to get their insights.
- Improved hiring outcomes: Make better, informed decisions by ensuring that each candidate is evaluated thoroughly and consistently.
Final Thoughts
Interviewing is a crucial skill for business owners, directors, and managers alike. With 82% of leaders honing their skills through on-the-job experience, you’re already well on your way to mastering the process. By focusing on outcomes, adding structure and consistency, and balancing experience with potential, you can make your interviews even more effective.
If you’re looking for additional support, ARV Solutions and our ARVIEW process are here to help. We’ll work with you to streamline your recruitment process, ensure consistency, and help you find the right fit for your team. Reach out to us today to discover how we can enhance your hiring process and help you find the best talent.
Improving interview skills
