Should Employers Reveal Questions Ahead of Interviews?

Job interviews can be painful no matter which side of the table you’re on, but a different way of conducting them could balance the playing field for both sides.

When it comes to interviewing candidates, it is easy to play it safe by remaining with ‘traditional’ techniques, methods and questions that typically put individuals on the spot. These are the interview questions designed to catch people off-guard - questions that can cause the most confident, professional, and able people to crumble in front of your eyes. Once the panic sets in, words are fumbled, and candidates are often left not knowing what to say or recoil from what they have said.

The ‘element of surprise’ may be great for conquering enemies in battle, but not the best way to find your next star employee!  The problem with this approach is that instead of judging a candidate based on important skills or knowledge related to the job, you've accidentally refocused your assessment on their ability to cope with stress.

There are certainly benefits to wanting candidates to think on their feet, but it isn’t always the most effective way to understand if an applicant is the best fit for the job.  Despite a super-human effort, some people simply don’t perform well in a stressful interview environment, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not up to the job, or they are unable to work in a high-pressured environment.

Providing Interview Questions/Criteria Themes

Allowing candidates to prepare their answers in advance of an interview allows them to provide better and more relevant examples of their skills and experience and it can entice a diverse set of jobseekers.

Allowing candidates to prepare and not put them on the spot will meaningfully reduce their anxiety and offer a clearer picture of who they are.  By telling candidates what you're going to ask, you're giving them insight into the skills or values you think they'll need to succeed in the role.

Disclosing either the specific interview questions to be asked ahead of time, or even providing question criteria themes allows short-listed candidates the best opportunity to prepare and be successful.  For example, if the vacancy was a leadership role, the candidate could be advised about question guideline criteria which will be asked in relation to themes such as building collaboration and engagement, communication, promoting inclusivity etc.

While the candidate would be advised that they wouldn’t need to plan responses to all of the questions/criteria, they could be encouraged to take the time to review their past experiences and identify a number of different examples in advance that would fit a range of questions to demonstrate their skills, experiences, and potential.

Benefits for Employers and Candidates

As an employer, you want to give candidates an opportunity to confidently demonstrate what they can do so you can determine whether there is a fit within the workplace - both in terms of skillset and culture.  In a tight labour market, approaching interviews in this way can help attract a diverse set of jobseekers, and with a large cohort of new Gen Z (“Zoomers”) and young professionals entering the workplace, this approach would be appealing to them.

For candidates, interviews can often feel daunting, and for some - particularly those who are neurodiverse, young, or entering the workforce for the first time, nerves can seriously impact performance.

Recruiting is a Two-Way Audition

Recruiting is a joint decision—both the employer and the candidate are essentially auditioning each other.  A company can pass on a candidate at any time, but equally once recruited, a candidate can resign at any time too, which can often be very disruptive to the business.

If short-listed candidates are given time to consider their answers in more detail, it ultimately gives employers a better understanding of their suitability for the vacancy that requires filling.  Sometimes, having reflected on the questions or criteria employers send ahead of an interview, candidates decide that the role is not the right fit for them – saving you and them time.

In summary, as with any important business decisions that are required to be made in a meeting, there will likely be an agenda issued ahead of the meeting.  The agenda confirms those who will be in attendance, and attendees will know what’s expected of them at the meeting.  A job interview shouldn’t be any different!

For assistance in recruitment and/or engaging employees in your workplace, or should you be seeking other HR or Health & Safety advice, get in touch with a member of the SBS Team.  Freephone 0508 424 723 or visit www.safebusiness.co.nz