Recruiting new employees part two: Improving your interview technique

By KMC Human Resources

23 May 2016

Taking on new staff can be a difficult and potentially costly process. As such, we have decided to focus on this topic for a mini series of blogs, each of which will cover a different aspect in the process.

Last time we looked at sourcing the right candidates. This time, we look at interviewing them.

Conducting interviews can be a lengthy and laborious task. Whether it’s something you have to do on a regular basis or not, interviews are something that almost all managers need to do during their careers.

Having a good interview technique is something that rarely comes naturally. Clients often report that they will get to the end of an interview and realise that although they have gleaned a lot of information about a candidate, they actually have little idea as to how suitable they would be for the role at hand.

Here are a few tips on honing your interview technique, helping to ensure that you make the right decisions when hiring members of staff:

Take time to think about the role and its requirements. The format of an interview will likely vary depending on the particular role you are trying to fill.

For example, interviewing for customer service personnel and technical IT support staff will demand different skills to be demonstrated. Whilst we would advise having a standard set of questions per role, take time to consider these before embarking on interviews for each position.

Utilise the job description you have put together and establish the key skills and attributes you are looking for in a candidate, then design questions based around these. Ask for examples of how the candidate has previously demonstrated the criteria concerned.

Remember your questioning style. Whilst potential candidates will probably be feeling nervous during an interview, it is easy to forget that as the interviewer, you may also feel under pressure.

Try to retain an open questioning style at all times, avoiding closed questions (ie. those that will only elicit a yes/no answer). Open questions will allow candidates to give detailed responses, the contents of which can be revealing to interviewers.

Open questions may start with “Tell me about”, “Describe to me”, “Explain to me”.

Don’t forget the art of conversation. Whilst you will want to check that the candidates have the required skills for the role, it is also important that any potential new member of staff will fit culturally within the organisation. Take some time, ideally before the formal set of questions, to engage in some informal conversation. This will not only put the candidate at ease, allowing more of their personality to come across, but also pave the way for a more honest and informative interview to follow. For more help and advice on hiring staff, or to speak to KMC HR about HR training, which includes training managers on interview techniques, please contact us.

Latest news

1

Fox Group makes second acquisition since Stellex Capital backing Roger Thistlethwaite, managing director NMS Civil Engineering Limited. Paul Fox, CEO Fox Group. John Flood, Executive Director Fox Group

Fox Group makes second acquisition since Stellex Capital backing

17 Sep 2025

2

Villa at Wrea Green bought for £3.6m by Haythornthwaite family The Villa Wrea Green courtesy of The Villa Wrea Green

Villa at Wrea Green bought for £3.6m by Haythornthwaite family

16 Sep 2025

3

Fourth Lancashire Bodycare store to shut Nick Holloway of administrators Interpath

Fourth Lancashire Bodycare store to shut

16 Sep 2025

4

Family business relocates in Blackburn Tristar relocation

Family business relocates in Blackburn

16 Sep 2025

5

Taste Lancashire Producer Awards 2026 open for applications Taste Lancashire Producers awards

Taste Lancashire Producer Awards 2026 open for applications

15 Sep 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs
Sub36 Deaf Village Social1200
Networking
17 Sep 2025

Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs

The Deaf Village, Blackburn, BB2 5EN

10:00 - 12:00

LBV124 September/October Launch Event
MBP Arc Cinema Preston Opening 205
Networking
18 Sep 2025

LBV124 September/October Launch Event

The Arc Cinema, Preston, PR1 2BL

08:30 - 10:30

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
17 Sep 2025 - 17 Sep 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

Business Breakfast Networking Event
business workshop photo.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
17 Sep 2025 - 17 Sep 2025

Business Breakfast Networking Event

Media Factory, University of Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 10:30

Ladies Lunch
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
18 Sep 2025 - 18 Sep 2025

Ladies Lunch

Lancaster Golf Club, Lancaster, LA2 0AJ

12:00 - 16:00

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September
Sept Freelancer (1).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation
Chorley Council breakfast event new
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Worden Hall, Leyland, PR25 3DH

08:00 - 11:00

Speed Networking with BNI
2.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
24 Sep 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Speed Networking with BNI

Chorley Football Club, Chorley, PR7 3DU

16:00 - 19:00

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September
TMM Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September

Chorley, PR7 2SL

18:00 - 20:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin