Build the Interview Process

Before You Build the Questions

When teams want to improve their hiring processes, they often jump straight to changing their interview questions. In our experience, the real work starts earlier. Check out our recommendations for more efficient, human-centered hiring.

Recommendation #1: Start with the big picture — take time to plan.

Before writing interview questions, get clear on:

• The Job — What does success in this role actually look like?
• The Skills — What does this person need to be able to do?
• The Team — How do they need to show up on your team?

Recommendation #2: Dig into details — each step in the hiring process should have a purpose.

Define your hiring process for this role and what you will look for:

• Application → review for baseline qualifications
• Phone Screen → check candidate’s initial alignment for the role
• Performance Task → assess ability to demonstrate real-world skill
• Interview → move into deeper evaluation for the role and team

Recommendation #3: Be consistent throughout the hiring process.

This is what makes your hiring process both more efficient and more equitable. Each member of the hiring team should:

• Ask the same core questions across candidates.
• Use shared criteria to evaluate candidates at each step of the process.
• Document their decisions clearly for denying or moving each candidate forward.

Don’t forget that candidates are paying attention to how the hiring process feels. That experience tells them a lot about what it will be like to work for your organization.

Ready for Support?

At KJ Consulting Group, we help you build human-centered, efficient, and replicable systems from recruitment through onboarding. Let’s talk!