Common mistakes when formulating interview questions and how to avoid them.

Avoid Common Mistakes When Formulating Interview Questions

Finding the ideal candidate depends as much on our recruitment process as on the questions we ask. Asking the right questions during an interview is crucial to effectively evaluate candidates and obtain the information we need.

However, it is easy to fall into common mistakes and compromise the quality of the interview, which leads to a biased or failed selection process.

This article discusses those mistakes and offers tips to avoid them. This way you can make sure your interviews and tests are aligned with what you need.

Interview Mistakes: Avoid the Most Common Ones

The success of an interview depends largely on the quality of the questions asked. Poorly designed questions can result in an interview that does not gather useful information or, worse, that evaluates candidates inconsistently.

Below, we look at some of the most common mistakes interviewers make when formulating questions.

Questions That Are Too General or Open-Ended

A frequent mistake is asking questions that are too open-ended, which can lead to vague or generic answers. This can lead candidates to answer without revealing useful or specific information about their skills or experiences.

For example, simply asking "What can you tell me about yourself?" can result in a basic answer that provides no information about the candidate's real competencies. In contrast, questions aimed at aspects of performance, such as "Can you describe a situation where your direct intervention led to a positive change in your previous position?", can give us useful information.

Therefore, it is crucial to make questions specific in order to obtain answers that truly evaluate the candidate's performance and competencies.

Questions That Suggest the Answer

Sometimes, without realizing it, interviewers may formulate questions that suggest a specific answer. This limits the opportunity to get to know the candidate more deeply and obtain genuine information about their way of thinking, their strengths or weaknesses.

For example, asking "Do you consider yourself a very organized person?" can lead almost all candidates to answer affirmatively, regardless of whether it is true or not.

It is more effective to ask questions that require specific examples of their behavior, such as "Tell me about a project that required great organization to carry out and how you managed the rest of your projects in the process to meet all your goals"

Not Aligned with the Objectives of the Position

Questions must be relevant to the competencies and skills required for the position. Questions that do not reflect the requirements of the role can lead to a poor performance evaluation.

For example, focusing too much on leadership skills for a role that is primarily technical may not be relevant, and vice versa.

Questions should be designed to evaluate how the candidate has applied relevant skills in past situations, directly reflecting the requirements of the role.

Excessive Use of Closed Questions

Closed questions, which require a yes or no answer, can be useful in certain contexts, but excessive use can be limiting and frustrating for candidates. Questions that have a one- or two-word answer prevent the open and natural discussion that normally reveals candidates' skills and experiences.

Therefore, it is preferable to use a mix of closed and open questions to allow candidates to elaborate on their experiences and achievements.

How to Improve Your Candidate Evaluation Method

Preparation and Planning: Dedicate time to preparing the questions before the interview. Make sure each question has a clear purpose and is designed to identify the skills relevant to the position.

Incorporate Varied Types of Evaluation: Use a combination of question types, including behavioral, situational, and technical questions, to get a comprehensive view of the candidate. Behavioral and situational questions are especially useful for evaluating how a candidate may perform under pressure and with respect to a work team.

Use Advanced Evaluation Tools: Consider using additional tools such as online tests. These tools ensure that the questions are relevant and effective for evaluating the necessary competencies.

Do you want to make sure you are asking the right questions in your interviews? Check out the Evalart catalog to discover the variety of tests and questions you can incorporate into your process.

Our tools can help you optimize your personnel selection process.