Structured interview - How to do it for job interviews

While structured interviews have several advantages, there are also some potential drawbacks to consider. Here are some of the cons associated with structured interviews:

1. Limited flexibility: Structured interviews follow a predetermined set of questions, which can limit the flexibility to explore candidates' unique experiences, perspectives and qualifications. This can be a disadvantage when seeking to gather in depth insights or assess candidates in specialised roles where a broader range of skills and attributes may be relevant

2. Lack of spontaneity: The standardised nature of structured interviews can make the process feel rigid and formal. This may result in a lack of spontaneity, making it challenging to establish rapport or gauge a candidate's ability to think on their feet or handle unexpected situations

3. Incomplete picture: Structured interviews primarily focus on assessing specific job related competencies and skills. While this is valuable for evaluating technical qualifications, it may not capture a candidate's broader attributes, such as their cultural fit, personality or potential for growth. As a result, some valuable qualities that are not explicitly measured in the structured interview format may be overlooked

4. Potential for overemphasis on interview performance: Some candidates excel at interview scenarios, allowing them to showcase their skills and competencies effectively, even if their actual job performance may not align with their interview performance. Structured interviews may not fully account for this potential discrepancy, leading to the selection of candidates who may not perform as well on the job

5. Time and resource intensive: Structured interviews require significant time and effort to develop a standardised set of questions, train interviewers and evaluate candidate responses consistently. This can be a resource intensive process, particularly for organisations with a high volume of candidates or limited HR resources

6. Limited adaptability: Once a set of structured interview questions is developed, it may be challenging to modify or update them quickly in response to evolving job requirements or changing organisational needs. This lack of adaptability may limit the interview's effectiveness in assessing candidates for emerging roles or industries

7. Potential for stereotyping and bias: While structured interviews aim to minimise bias, there is still a possibility of implicit biases influencing the evaluation process. Bias can arise from the interpretation of responses or the weighting of certain criteria, potentially disadvantaging certain candidates or perpetuating existing inequities

To mitigate these potential drawbacks, you can consider complementing structured interviews with other assessment methods, such as work samples, behavioural assessments or informal conversations, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of candidates' qualifications and fit for the role.

It's important to strike a balance between structure and flexibility to ensure a fair and effective selection process. So how to create a professional and structured interview?

How to create an effective structured interview

Creating an effective structured interview involves careful planning and consideration of the job requirements and desired competencies. Here are the steps you can follow to create an effective interview:

1. Identify job requirements: Begin by clearly understanding the job requirements, including the necessary skills, qualifications and behavioural traits needed for success in the role. This will help you design questions that directly assess these specific requirements

2. Develop competency framework: Create a competency framework or a list of key competencies relevant to the job. These competencies should align with the organisation's values and the role's responsibilities. Common competencies may include problem solving, communication, leadership, adaptability, teamwork and decision making

3. Draft behavioural or situational questions: Use the identified competencies as a basis for developing behavioural or situational questions. Behavioural questions ask candidates to describe past experiences, while situational questions present hypothetical scenarios to assess how candidates would handle specific situations. These questions should elicit detailed responses that demonstrate the candidate's skills, behaviours and decision making processes

4. Structure the questions: Organise the questions in a logical sequence that allows for a smooth flow of the interview. Start with more general questions to build rapport and then progress to more specific and targeted questions related to the competencies being assessed

5. Use rating scales or scoring rubrics: Establish a rating scale or scoring rubric to evaluate candidates' responses consistently and objectively. This provides a standardised framework for assessing candidates' proficiency levels for each question and competency. Clearly define the criteria for each rating level to ensure consistency among interviewers

6. Pilot test the interview: Before implementing the structured interview, pilot test it with a small group of interviewers to ensure clarity, comprehensiveness and effectiveness. Collect feedback from the interviewers and make any necessary refinements or adjustments to the questions or evaluation criteria

7. Train interviewers: Conduct training sessions to familiarise interviewers with the structured interview format, the purpose of each question and the rating criteria. This training helps ensure that all interviewers have a consistent understanding of the interview process and can evaluate candidates fairly

8. Document interview responses: During the interview, document candidates' responses and make notes based on the predetermined evaluation criteria. This documentation is essential for future reference and comparison during the candidate evaluation and decision making process

9. Regularly review and update: Review the structured interview questions periodically to ensure their relevance and alignment with evolving job requirements and organisational needs. Update or modify the questions as necessary to improve the effectiveness of the interview process

Most common structured interview questions

While the specific structured interview questions may vary depending on the job requirements, industry, and organisation, here are some commonly used structured interview questions that can provide a good starting point:

1. Tell me about a time when you faced a challenging situation at work and how you handled it
2. Describe a project or accomplishment that you are particularly proud of and explain your role in it
3. How do you prioritise tasks and manage your time effectively?
4. Give an example of a situation where you had to work collaboratively with a diverse group of individuals
5. Tell me about a time when you had to handle a difficult customer or client. How did you resolve the situation?
6. Describe a situation where you had to make a tough decision with limited information. How did you approach it?
7. Give an example of a time when you had to adapt to a significant change in the workplace. How did you handle it?
8. Describe a situation where you demonstrated leadership skills or took the initiative to solve a problem
9. How do you handle feedback and criticism? Can you provide an example of a time when you received constructive feedback and how you incorporated it?
10. Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a conflict or disagreement in the workplace. How did you handle it?

These questions are designed to assess a candidate's problem solving abilities, communication skills, adaptability, teamwork, leadership and other essential competencies relevant to the job. Remember, it's crucial to tailor the questions to the specific requirements of the position and to ask follow up questions to dig deeper into the candidate's experiences and capabilities.

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