Interviewing Candidates Effectively
Interviews are your best chance to assess fit. Here's how to run them well.
Interviews are imperfect but essential. They’re your best opportunity to assess whether someone will succeed in the role. Running interviews well separates companies that make great hires from those that make costly mistakes.
Interview Goals
What You’re Trying to Learn
Can they do the job?
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Relevant skills
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Past performance
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Problem-solving ability
Will they do the job well?
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Motivation and drive
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Work ethic
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Genuine interest
Will they thrive here?
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Culture fit
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Working style
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Team dynamics
Can they grow?
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Learning ability
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Self-awareness
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Trajectory potential
What They’re Trying to Learn
Interviews go both ways:
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Is this company legitimate?
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Will I enjoy working here?
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Can I succeed in this role?
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Do I like these people?
Good interviews serve both goals.
Interview Structure
Typical Process
Screen (30 min):
Phone/video to confirm basic fit.
Skills Interview (60 min):
Deep dive on role-specific skills.
Behavioral Interview (45-60 min):
Past experiences and patterns.
Team/Culture Interview (30-45 min):
Team members assess fit.
Founder/Exec (30-45 min):
Final assessment and sell.
Smaller Startup Version
With limited time:
Combined Interview (60-90 min):
Screen + skills + behavioral in one conversation.
Work Sample (2-4 hours):
Practical demonstration.
Reference Checks:
Before final decision.
Types of Interviews
Behavioral Interviews
Past behavior predicts future behavior.
Structure:
“Tell me about a time when you [situation].”
STAR Method:
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Situation: What was the context?
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Task: What were you trying to accomplish?
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Action: What did you do?
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Result: What happened?
Examples:
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“Tell me about a time you disagreed with a decision.”
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“Describe a project where you had to learn something new quickly.”
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“Tell me about a time something failed. What did you learn?”
What you’re looking for:
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Specific examples (not hypotheticals)
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Ownership (“I” not “we”)
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Self-awareness
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Learning and growth
Skills/Technical Interviews
Assessing specific abilities.
Methods:
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Technical questions
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Problem-solving scenarios
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Whiteboarding
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Live coding (for engineers)
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Portfolio review
Best practices:
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Relevant to actual work
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Allow thinking aloud
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Assess approach, not just answers
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Comfortable environment
Work Samples
Actual work demonstration.
Examples:
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Take-home assignment
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Live working session
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Case study presentation
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Portfolio review
Best practices:
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Relevant to the role
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Reasonable time commitment
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Clear instructions
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Compensate for longer assignments
Culture Interviews
Fit with company values and team.
Areas to explore:
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Working style
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Communication preferences
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How they handle conflict
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What they value in a workplace
Team involvement:
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Have multiple team members interview
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Different perspectives
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Those who’ll work closely with them
Asking Good Questions
Open-Ended vs. Closed
Closed (less useful):
“Did you like your last job?”
Open (more useful):
“What did you enjoy most about your last job? What would you change?”
Open questions reveal more.
Follow-Up Questions
The first answer is often surface level.
Dig deeper:
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“Tell me more about that.”
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“What specifically did you do?”
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“Why did you approach it that way?”
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“What did you learn?”
Keep exploring until you understand.
Questions to Avoid
Illegal:
Age, marital status, religion, disabilities, family plans.
Leading:
“You do enjoy working on hard problems, right?”
Theoretical:
“What would you do if…”
(Past behavior beats hypotheticals)
Questions to Ask
Skill Assessment
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“Walk me through a project you’re proud of.”
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“What’s the most technically complex thing you’ve built?”
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“How do you approach [relevant skill]?”
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“What would you do differently if you could do it again?”
Drive and Motivation
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“Why are you interested in this role?”
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“What are you looking for in your next company?”
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“Where do you want to be in 3 years?”
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“What motivates you?”
Problem-Solving
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“Tell me about a time you faced an unexpected challenge.”
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“How do you prioritize when everything is urgent?”
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“Describe a problem you solved that didn’t have an obvious solution.”
Collaboration
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“Tell me about a time you disagreed with a colleague. How did you resolve it?”
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“How do you give and receive feedback?”
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“Describe a team you worked well with. What made it work?”
Self-Awareness
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“What are you working to improve?”
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“What would your last manager say is your biggest weakness?”
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“Tell me about a time you failed.”
Startup Fit
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“What attracts you to an early-stage company?”
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“How do you handle ambiguity?”
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“Describe a time you built something from scratch.”
Interview Best Practices
Before the Interview
Prepare:
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Review resume thoroughly
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Know what you’re assessing
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Have questions ready
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Block distractions
Coordinate:
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What is each interviewer assessing?
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No redundant questions
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Clear handoffs
During the Interview
Put them at ease:
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Warm greeting
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Explain the process
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Create comfortable environment
Listen more than talk:
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Aim for 70/30 (them/you)
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Don’t interrupt
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Let silence work
Take notes:
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Specific examples
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Direct quotes
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Your observations
Leave time for their questions:
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It shows what they care about
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Chance to sell the role
After the Interview
Write it up immediately:
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While fresh
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Before talking to others
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Specific observations
Separate evaluation:
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Write feedback before seeing others’ feedback
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Prevents groupthink
Evaluating Candidates
Consistent Criteria
Rate everyone on the same dimensions:
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Skill for the role
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Motivation and drive
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Culture fit
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Trajectory
Scoring
Simple is fine:
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Strong yes
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Yes
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No
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Strong no
Or 1-5 scale on each dimension.
Calibration
Compare notes with other interviewers:
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Did you see the same things?
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Where do you disagree?
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What questions remain?
Red Flags
Watch for:
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Vague answers without specifics
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Blaming others consistently
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Lack of self-awareness
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Not asking questions about the role
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Speaking negatively about past employers
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Inconsistencies in their story
Green Flags
Look for:
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Specific examples with ownership
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Genuine curiosity
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Self-awareness about weaknesses
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Enthusiasm for the problem you’re solving
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Thoughtful questions
Common Mistakes
Talking Too Much
Interviewer dominates the conversation.
Fix: Aim for 70/30 them/you.
Inconsistent Process
Different questions for different candidates.
Fix: Standardized questions for each role.
Gut Feeling Only
Making decisions on “vibes.”
Fix: Specific criteria, notes, structured evaluation.
Confirmation Bias
Seeking evidence for initial impression.
Fix: Stay curious. Look for disconfirming evidence.
Selling Too Early
Pitching the company before assessing.
Fix: Assess first, sell after.
Skipping References
Great interview = skip references.
Fix: Always check references. Always.
Key Takeaways
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Interviews assess: can they do it, will they do it well, will they thrive here
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Behavioral interviews (“tell me about a time…”) reveal more than hypotheticals
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Ask open-ended questions and follow up to get below the surface
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Listen 70%, talk 30%—your job is to learn about them
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Take notes immediately after; don’t wait
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Evaluate on consistent criteria before comparing notes with others
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Watch for red flags: vagueness, blaming others, lack of curiosity
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Work samples show actual ability better than talk
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Always leave time for their questions—it’s your chance to sell and learn
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References are not optional, no matter how good the interview
Put your context to work.
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