How to Hire the Right Candidate: Best Practices for Interviewing

Recruiting the right person is not just about filling a seat, it’s about finding someone who will help drive your business forward. A poor hire can cost you time, money, and frustration. But a strong interview process helps you spot the best candidate with confidence.   

Here’s how to make your interviews count. 

Why interviews are so critical to get right 

An interview is your chance to really understand a candidate’s skills, mindset, and fit for your company. A great CV does not always mean a great employee, and a strong interview can reveal a lot that paperwork can’t.  

Do not rush the process just to get it done. Many businesses spend too little time on interviews, leading to exhaustion, unclear decisions, and difficulty comparing candidates. 

Take the time to do it right, and you will save yourself time, money, and stress in the long run. 

Preparing for the Interview 

A successful interview starts long before you meet the candidate. Think about: 

• What skills and qualities you actually need, do not just copy a generic job description. 
• The questions you will ask to uncover real insights, not rehearsed answers. 
•  Who should be involved in the interview process to get different perspectives. This should include the direct line manager and ideally colleagues who they will be required to interact and work with 

If you are skipping this step, expect to waste time on interviews that go nowhere, or at worst, get you the wrong candidate wasting your time and money. 

Conducting the Interview 

The best interviews feel like conversations, not interrogations. Keep it structured but flexible. Start with an easy question to put the candidate at ease, then dive into their experience, problem-solving skills, and cultural fit. 

Some key things to watch for: 

• Do they really understand the role and your business? 
• Are their answers clear and specific, or are they vague and generic? 
• Are they asking thoughtful questions, showing real interest? 

Some red flags to watch out for include lack of enthusiasm, overly rehearsed responses, or dodging questions. 

Some candidates are great at talking but lack the skills to back it up. Probing follow up questions to their initial answers to a question can help identify if they really have the knowledge or experience or if they have just rehearsed an AI answer to predicted questions. Without proper assessments, you might recruit someone who can’t perform as expected. 

Taking Notes and Scoring 

Memory plays tricks on us, especially after back-to-back interviews. Take notes! Create a simple scoring system based on key criteria (skills, experience, attitude, cultural fit) so you can compare candidates objectively. 

Relying on gut feelings alone results in bad recruitment decisions. 

Making the Final Decision 

The ideal candidate is not just highly skilled but also the right fit for the role and company culture, with the potential to stay long-term. Recruiting someone who looks great on paper but doesn’t align with your business needs won’t benefit you in the long run. 

It’s tempting to recruit the candidate who “feels right,” but take the time to take a step back and:  

• Review your notes and scores. 
• Get input from others who interviewed them. 
• Double-check references and practical examples of their work. 

Still unsure? Sleep on it. A rushed decision can lead to regret and lots of wasted time and effort. 

If you want to improve your recruitment process and make better recruitment decisions subscribe to our Academy for expert guidance, practical tips, and step-by-step strategies to help you find the right candidates with confidence. We promise you it will be worth the investment!