Best Practices for Conducting Structured Interviews

Interview

Hiring the right talent is a critical function of any business, especially for private-equity-backed software and technology companies where speed and precision matter. One of the most effective ways to improve hiring decisions is through structured interviews, an approach backed by extensive research for its ability to reduce bias, enhance candidate experience, and improve hiring accuracy.

Here’s a comprehensive guide to conducting structured interviews effectively.

What is a Structured Interview?

A structured interview is a systematic approach where all candidates are asked the same set of predetermined questions, in the same order, and their responses are evaluated using a standardized scoring system. This contrasts with unstructured interviews, which are more conversational and leave room for bias and inconsistency.

Why Use Structured Interviews?

·      Research consistently shows that structured interviews:Provide twice the predictive power of unstructured interviews.Ensure fairness and objectivity, reducing biases in hiring.Offer a better candidate experience, as all applicants are evaluated based on the same criteria.Improve internal hiring decisions, ensuring employees are selected for the right roles.

Steps to Conducting Structured Interviews

1. Define “What Good Looks Like”

Before designing your interview process, align with hiring managers on the key competencies needed for success in the role. Conduct a job analysis to identify the skills, knowledge, and attributes required.

Best Practice: Develop a competency framework to clearly define the role’s expectations and evaluation criteria.

2. Develop Job-Related Questions

Craft behavioral and situational questions to assess relevant competencies.

• Behavioral Questions: Ask candidates to describe past experiences that demonstrate a skill.

  
  

  Example: Tell me about a time you had to manage a tight deadline. How did you handle it?

• Situational Questions: Present hypothetical job-related scenarios to gauge problem-solving ability.

  
  

  Example: Imagine a team member is missing deadlines that affect your project. What would you do?

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Best Practice: Ensure each question ties back to a core competency identified in the job analysis.

3. Establish a Clear Evaluation System

To ensure objective assessment, use a standardized rating scale for scoring candidate responses. At Engage Talent, we prefer to use a 4-point scale which doesn’t allow for interviewers to score an “average” score.

Best Practice: Provide training on how to use the rating scale to minimize subjectivity.

4. Select and Train Interviewers

Interviewers play a critical role in ensuring consistency. Multiple trained interviewers help reduce personal biases and increase reliability in evaluations.

Best Practice: Conduct interviewer calibration sessions to align scoring expectations and ensure fair assessments.

5. Enhance the Candidate Experience

·      Candidates appreciate a structured, transparent process. Before the interview:

·      Set clear expectations about the format.Inform candidates that they will have a chance to ask questions at the end.

Best Practice: Maintain a professional yet warm approach to ensure candidates feel valued.

6. Conduct the Interview with Rigor

• Ask all candidates the same questions in the same order.

• Take detailed notes to capture key responses.

• Score each response in real-time before moving to the next question.

Best Practice: Avoid unnecessary small talk that could introduce bias. Keep the interview focused on job-related factors.

7. Aggregate Scores and Make Evidence-Based Decisions

·      Once interviews are complete:Interviewers submit individual scores before group discussions to prevent bias.

·      Scores are aggregated to identify top-performing candidates.

·      Hiring decisions are based on data, not gut feeling.

Best Practice: Review interview data periodically to refine the process and improve outcomes.

Overcoming Common Objections to Structured Interviews

Objection	Solution
“It feels too robotic.”	Train interviewers to balance structure with natural engagement.
“I can’t gauge personality.”	Use structured behavioral questions to assess relevant personality traits.
“It takes too much time to set up.”	Investing time upfront leads to higher-quality hires and less turnover.

Final Thoughts

Structured interviews are one of the most reliable, fair, and effective hiring methods available. By implementing a structured approach, you ensure every candidate is given a fair chance, hiring decisions are data-driven, and your company builds a high-performing team.