Top tips for effective interviews, part 1: What to avoid

Identifying the best candidate for your laboratory informatics role is sometimes easier said than done. In part 1 of this 2-part series, we look at questions to avoid when interviewing candidates.

When it comes to interviewing candidates, it is important to have a broad selection of interview questions prepared that are designed to get the most insight you can. Ask the right questions, and the best suited candidates will shine. Ask the wrong ones, and you risk dismissing candidates who haven’t had the best opportunity to stand out.

In this blog series, we are first going to cover what questions not to ask, before turning to some examples of great interview questions, especially for lab-based vacancies.

Preparing questions that really help you get to know a candidate is crucial in helping you pick out the most suitable person for the role. And importantly, asking the same questions of each candidate ensures objectivity and that you’re giving equal opportunity to all.

So, what questions should you ask? In our experience, it’s not just about the question – it’s about the kind of answer that it prompts, and whether that aligns with what you really want to know. You could have a perfectly valid question, but phrasing it badly could stop you getting the kind of responses you need.

Here, we look at some of the most common question mistakes interviewers make, and how to transform your interview questions from old to gold.

What makes a bad interview question?

Let’s kick off with some of the common questions that don’t work well, and how these can be flipped to get you better responses.

Obvious questions

Stock interview questions are a great idea in theory, for helping you to get consistent responses from candidates that you can compare and contrast. But if you go for something too obvious, there’s a good chance candidates will already have pre-prepared a response. Instead of ‘What is your greatest strength?’, try ‘What would your current colleagues say is your greatest strength?’ The candidate will likely have to think on their feet more with this one, meaning you’re likely to get a more accurate response. And following up with ‘How could you put it to use in our organisation?’ will give you greater insight into how well they understand what you need and how their strengths might align.

Icebreakers

While fun questions like ‘If you were an animal, what would you be?’ may ease the candidate into the interview, they tell you nothing significant about them. Instead, asking ‘Outside of work, what are you passionate about?’ is still a simple question that requires a candidate to show you more of their personality, but reveals more relevant information.

Leading questions

Questions like ‘Wouldn’t you agree that manual paper processes are the biggest hindrance to lab efficiency?’ make it obvious that there is a correct or expected response. Reframe the question to get a more honest reply. For example, ‘What do you think is the biggest challenged faced by modern labs, and how do you think you can help us to overcome this?’

Closed questions

Questions with yes or no answers shut down conversation and don’t give the interviewee opportunity to expand. Instead of questions like ‘Do you think digital transformation is the leading priority for labs?’, try ‘What are your thoughts on digital lab transformation strategies?’

Revise your questions for improved interview performance

Questions that produce limited or stock responses are best avoided, but what are the best questions to ask your lab informatics candidate? Look out for our next blog with our tips for asking questions that will ensure a successful hire.

For further help with your recruitment contact the 32 Stripes team.

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