Interviews: Does 'Doing it the Old-Fashioned Way' Still Work?

I wouldn’t imagine that there are too many people that say 'Hey, I love interviews!'. Many people struggle at some point with doubt, anxiety and lack of confidence. 

Hiring teams are still asking questions like 'Why should I hire you?' and, worse still, 'What are your strengths and weaknesses?' and then basing a crucial decision on these answers.

Here we are in late 2019, still interviewing like it was 1989. Why not change these outdated processes?  

We feel that many employers could update and upgrade their processes, and that this may protect them from making bad hires (which are so detrimental to a business in so many ways). So, here's some ideas that we like...

Ditch the CV

The co-founder of Boxed does this. He will only ask one question and that is: 'Tell me the story of you, but the thing you can't say is anything that's on your CV.'

He isn’t interested in spending time with people he doesn’t like. He can see what you can do, as it is listed on your CV. What isn’t on your CV is you as an individual - and that is what he is interested in.

What a change, and a way to see how people really think and react. We think it's a great way for a potential employer to get to know the real you. 

Behavioural interviews

The science of behavioural interviewing is being adopted by savvy companies who are keen to get people with the right character.

Behavioural interviews protect against candidates who are used to manipulating the process by delivering a prepared story, or a scripted answer. 

For example, to judge a potential candidate’s integrity or ethical standards, you can ask interview questions like:

  • What do you believe compromises the ethical workplace? 
  • Tell me about an instance that challenged you ethically.
  • When was the last time you 'broke the rules'? What was the situation, and what did you do?
  • Describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you handled implementing it.
  • Do you listen? Give an example of when you did or when you didn't listen.

Online assessments

Measuring a candidate’s ability to solve problems, apply information, and think critically. The key is administering the assessment at the right point in the interview process and to be sure that this does not delay the selection process.

Casual interviews

This already happens a great deal in PR. It's a much better way to get to know a candidate. Rather than a formal conversation in a stuffy conference room, the job interview takes place over a meal or coffee in an environment that will facilitate a more natural conversation.

Virtual reality (VR)

Banks and financial institutions are early adopters of this as a hiring process, although we're not sure the PR world would invest in this.

Video interviews

These work when you’re recruiting globally and don’t have the budget to meet face-to-face.