Leading Job Interviews: A Good Conversation for Both Sides
Almost everyone has participated in a job interview at some point. Those who have had the chance to sit on the other side of the table will appreciate the following tips. Many of us are thrown into this role by our boss, who comes around the corner and asks us to join in on an interview – perhaps even without HR and without the boss. Of course, you assume that your work experience is enough to conduct a technical interview – at least that's what you think. But then the chaos begins. Based on my experience, I’ve compiled some tips to help avoid this chaos. These tips will ensure that both the candidate and you, as the interviewer, leave the conversation feeling good. My focus is on the technical interview, not the HR interview. Ideally, it’s a conversation between peers (software developers).
1. The Red Thread: Stick to it and communicate it.
Come up with an agenda for the interview, communicate it to the candidate (preferably at the beginning of the conversation), and stick to it. I've been in interviews where I was bombarded with questions right after the greeting. Many of these questions could have been avoided if I had been given the opportunity to introduce myself. A red thread might look like this:
- Greeting, discussing drinks, small talk
- Communicating the "red thread," or the interview agenda
- Introducing the company
- Introducing the interviewers
- Clarifying any questions so far
- Candidate introduction
- Getting to know each other through technical questions
- Answering the candidate’s questions
- Short feedback
- Explaining the next steps in the hiring process
- Farewell
The candidate knows what to expect, which helps reduce their nervousness. The interviewer can focus on observing and asking questions without improvising the agenda.
Prepare for the interview and its flow!
Give feedback to the person leading the interview (your colleague or boss) if they are unfamiliar with this tip.
2. The person sitting in front of you is a potential colleague
Sitting across from a candidate as the interviewer means you hold a position of power, at least for the moment. You ask the questions and lead the conversation. I’ve often seen how otherwise friendly colleagues suddenly change, bombarding the candidate with one tricky question after another, as if trying to trip them up. The goal of the interview should not be to expose the candidate's weaknesses but to highlight their strengths. The point is to figure out how the candidate can help the team and the com...
Win over a new colleague, don’t destroy them!
3. Don’t ask questions you don’t know the answer to
In my previous article, I advised bringing a notebook and pen to note down questions you can’t answer and have them explained. Unfortunately, as a candidate, when I returned a question to learn something new, I often saw desperate faces. There was nervous shuffling of papers, and the next question was quickly asked. It’s easy to ask questions you find online, but you should also be able to answer them. Getting into a situation where you can’t respond, especially in front of the candidate (and your boss...
Think through your questions in advance and make sure you can answer them yourself!
4. Be honest and don’t sugarcoat things
You want to win the candidate over for the company, which sometimes leads to exaggerating the truth. Suddenly, the company is fully agile, there’s freedom to choose technologies, and new projects are everywhere. Legacy systems? They’re only mentioned in refactoring books. A well-prepared candidate will see through these lies with a few follow-up questions. This creates an uncomfortable situation. It’s better to stick to the truth and maybe mention some challenges the candidate could help address. However...
Stick to the truth and don’t tell fairy tales!
5. Show genuine interest and listen actively
This tip requires some self-reflection. Everyone likes to talk about themselves and their experiences – that’s perfectly fine. However, a job interview is not the place to talk about yourself. The candidate should be the focus. You only have limited time to assess and evaluate a potential colleague. I’ve had to stop myself (and my colleagues) from going on about technologies and personal experiences during interviews. The candidate should have the floor. Ask them about their work methods, technologies, e...
You’re not the focus of the conversation. Learn about active listening.
6. Pay attention to the candidate’s mindset
In post-interview discussions with HR colleagues, many candidates were rejected because they didn’t have the necessary experience with the required tech stack. I think this is the wrong approach. If a candidate has the right mindset – the right attitude – I always vote for them. You can teach technologies, work methods, agile practices, etc., but it’s much harder to fix a lack of soft skills, motivation, or teamwork. If a candidate is passionate about something and eager to learn, that’s the best indica...
It’s easier to teach technologies and methods than to fix missing soft skills.
7. Give constructive feedback
At the end of the interview, I always provide feedback on how the candidate performed. This isn’t about whether they will be hired but rather how the interview went. I give tips on how to present their resume better, praise their strengths, and point out areas for improvement. However, you should avoid giving the candidate false hope or suggesting that they might get the job. As a technical colleague, you don’t have the authority to make such promises and could expose the company to legal risks. Instead,...
Help the candidate grow and develop.