As recruiters and hiring managers, our goal is to find the best fit for a role—not just someone who can do the job but someone who can help the team and company grow. Yet too often, interviews fail because we ask the wrong kinds of questions or approach the process with rigid expectations.
This post builds on insights from Nilofer Merchant’s Harvard Business Review article, “Stop Eliminating Perfectly Good Candidates by Asking Them the Wrong Questions,” and offers 10 ways to improve your interviewing process. By making these small adjustments, you can avoid overlooking great candidates and uncover what they can truly bring to your team.
1. Start with a Welcoming Interview Environment
Create a setting where candidates feel comfortable enough to be themselves. This includes introducing yourself in a personal way, explaining what they can expect from the interview, and encouraging questions throughout.
Interviews can be nerve-wracking, and when candidates feel uneasy, they may not show their best selves. A welcoming environment helps them open up, which gives you a better sense of who they are—not just their resume. It also reflects positively on your company, leaving candidates with a good impression even if they don’t get the job.
2. Encourage Candidate Questions
Give candidates space to ask their own questions about the company, role, and team. Say upfront that you value curiosity and welcome their inquiries. Be ready to provide honest answers, even if that means saying, “I don’t know.” And then follow up with them.
Good candidates will want to learn about the role and company to see if it’s the right fit for them, just as you’re assessing them. Their questions also give you insight into their priorities, problem-solving approach, and level of preparation. A candidate who asks thoughtful, specific questions is likely someone who’ll think critically on the job.
3. Focus on Core Skills and Traits
Decide what matters most for the role—whether it’s communication, leadership, or technical skills—and build the interview around those priorities. Develop a clear framework (instead of a rigid checklist) to guide your evaluation and stay consistent across candidates.
By focusing on core skills, you avoid getting sidetracked by unrelated details like years of experience or personal preferences. This makes it easier to assess what a candidate can truly bring to the table while keeping the process fair and structured.
4. Avoid Snap Judgments About “Fit”
Be mindful of biases that might influence your decisions. If a candidate seems like they wouldn’t “fit,” dig deeper. Ask yourself: Is it because their skills or approach genuinely don’t align with the role, or is it because they’re different from what you expected?
Dismissing candidates because they don’t fit a mold can lead you to miss out on fresh perspectives and ideas. Often, innovation comes from people who think differently than the rest of the team. Being deliberate about what “fit” really means can help you build stronger, more dynamic teams.
5. Assess Team Collaboration
Ask candidates about past experiences working with teams. Use open-ended questions like, “Can you describe a time when you helped solve a team challenge?” Pay attention to whether they emphasize collective success and their role in helping the group achieve its goals.
A strong team player isn’t just someone who works well with others but someone who notices and steps up when there’s a gap. Hiring someone who collaborates effectively can prevent future team struggles and make the whole group more productive.
6. Gauge Problem-Solving in Action
Instead of asking if candidates have done something specific in the past, ask how they’d approach a real-world problem the role might involve. Use scenarios or hypotheticals to see their thought process and how they adapt to challenges.
Innovation often requires thinking on your feet and coming up with creative solutions. You’re hiring for the future, not just the past. Seeing how a candidate approaches a problem helps you understand their potential beyond what’s on their resume.
7. Look for Passion and Drive
Ask candidates what kind of work excites them or what they found most rewarding in previous roles. Follow up with questions about why they felt that way and how it connects to their goals.
People do their best work when they care about what they’re doing. Understanding what motivates a candidate can help you determine if they’ll be energized by the role and aligned with your company’s mission.
8. Avoid Overlooking Candidates Who Lack “Perfect” Experience
Shift from asking, “Have you done this exact thing before?” to “How would you approach doing this?” Be open to transferable skills and evidence of a growth mindset.
Someone doesn’t have to check every single box on a job description to be a great hire. If they have the right attitude and the ability to learn, they can often exceed expectations—and bring fresh energy to the team.
9. Rethink How You Evaluate Candidate Answers
Structure your interview process to include multiple perspectives. For example, have the candidate meet with several team members, and compare notes after. Focus on patterns in their answers rather than one-off comments.
Evaluating candidates is a complex process, and relying on one person’s opinion can lead to missed opportunities. By collaborating as a team, you can make more balanced decisions and reduce unconscious bias.
10. Always Debrief After Interviews
Set aside time after interviews to discuss how the candidate performed. What did they do well? Where were there concerns? Look for feedback patterns across interviewers and decide as a team if they’re a good fit for the role.
Post-interview debriefs ensure everyone is aligned and nothing important gets overlooked. They also give you a chance to refine your process for future interviews, making the whole team better at hiring over time.
By making these adjustments, you can avoid screening out great candidates and focus on finding the best person for the job. Hiring isn’t just about filling a role—it’s about building stronger teams and setting your company up for success.
Scott White is an EVP and Principal Recruiter at HireMinds. He has over two decades of professional executive recruiting experience.
He specializes in placing communications, marketing, investor relations, and patient advocacy professionals in many industries. Most of his work is in the pharma, biotech, and medical device sectors. He works with clients and candidates across the country.
Scott is a frequent lecturer at universities and professional associates where he shares tips on how to write cover letters, resumes and LinkedIn profiles, how to leverage your network and how to prepare for interviews.