Reduce the impact of impression-based interviews

I’ve partially described practices that can dramatically reduce the impact of impression-based interviews in hiring. There are seven approaches that can significantly improve hiring quality.

• First, include a preparation step where all interviewers align on requirements, skills, and a scorecard with clear criteria. This allows candidates to be evaluated on the same scale - not on feelings.
• Despite many recruiters’ preference for free-flowing conversations, interviews should be structured, with defined questions, format, and timing.
• Some questions should be open-ended and explore the candidate’s real experiences using specific examples: what was done, what difficulties were encountered, where there was resistance from employees or organizational issues, and so on.
• To identify exaggeration or empty talk, ask candidates to recount events in reverse order-from the end of the project to the beginning. This is difficult even for someone with real experience, and especially challenging for someone who is bluffing.
• Questions such as “How would you act if you faced situation A, B, or C? What factors would you consider?” are useful. They reveal the candidate’s logic and ability to think, not just a prepared solution.
• Interviews should last at least 40 minutes. The “theater of impressions” is strongest in the first 15–25 minutes; with more time, charismatic but mediocre candidates are less likely to rely on emotion alone.
• Blind evaluation is also a powerful tool. Final scores can be assigned by a colleague who reviews only the text transcript of the interview-without video or audio. Comparing their assessments with those of the interviewers can further improve objectivity.