You’ve been hiring for years, but lately it feels like the interviews just aren’t working. Candidates seem unsure, conversations drag, and the people you liked the most aren’t returning your calls. Here’s the truth: interviews aren’t going well for most companies because of a few fixable interview mistakes.
Let’s dive into what’s going wrong, why it’s happening, and how you can make your interviews a game-changer for your business.
Mistake #1: Treating Interviews Like a Checklist
One of the most common interview mistakes we see is treating interviews like a box to check off, rather than a conversation to get to know each other.
You know the scenario: you have their resume in front of you, your standard interview questions memorized, and you’re hurrying through the conversation because you have a meeting coming up fast.
Why It Hurts
Candidates can sense when an interviewer is going through the motions or rushing through their discussion. They leave the meeting feeling unvalued. The best people won’t accept an offer from a company where they feel like a number.
The Solution
A mid-sized roofing company in Texas had a hiring freeze for months. When they reopened positions, they interviewed dozens of candidates within two days. They thought they were doing everything right because they were getting through the applications so quickly. But time after time, they kept losing their top candidates. Their rigid script was off-putting and the people didn’t even answer the phone when they got call backs. After a little coaching, they were able to switch to a more conversational approach, giving candidates time to tell their story and ask questions. Their acceptance rate soared.
Mistake #2: Failing to Sell the Job and Your Company
Another critical interview mistake is forgetting that an interview is a two-way street. While you’re evaluating candidates, they’re evaluating you!
When you forget to talk about your company culture, core values, and vision for the future, you’re no different than any other company in your industry.
Why It Hurts
Imagine going on a first date and the person you’re meeting spends the entire meal talking about themselves. You ask them questions and they go on and on and on. You walk away from the dinner knowing whether or not they’re the right fit for you, but what do they know about you? Nothing. It shouldn’t come as a surprise when they decline your invitation to a second date. After all, they didn’t connect with you.
When you focus on asking questions during an interview and forget to showcase your company, top talent will look elsewhere. There are plenty of companies in your industry. Just like the person on the one-sided first date, they’ll find someone they connect with.
The Solution
Set aside time in your interview cadence to share what makes your company different. Highlight your company culture, career paths, and perks. Give the candidate time to ask questions and share what about your company appeals to them as a future employee.
Mistake #3: Skipping Preparation
Walking into an interview without reviewing the candidate’s resume or thinking about the role’s specific needs is a classic interview mistake. It signals that you don’t value the person’s time.
Why It Hurts
Unprepared interviews waste everyone’s time and make your company look disorganized and uninterested. Candidates notice and your reputation suffers.
Would you want to do business with someone who didn’t even read your proposal before attending a meeting?
The Solution
Take the time to review each candidate’s background prior to the interview. Know the role inside and out. If you’re not sure, talk to someone on the team to see what a great employee looks like in that role. Identify key traits that matter most for the position and customize your interview questions to discover the right fit.
Once you know who you’re looking for, it becomes a lot easier to find them.
Mistake #4: Asking Vague or Irrelevant Questions
Between Google and AI, it’s easy to come up with a long list of interview questions for a specific role. What these search engines don’t understand is the part that actually matters: what it takes to win at your company.
Why It Hurts
When you ask vague or predictable questions, you get generic and rehearsed answers. How many times has a candidate been asked “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” They probably have a well-practiced answer. By asking generic questions, all you learn is how well someone prepared for interviewing.
The Solution
Ask specific questions about real-world situations they’ll face on the job. Have them describe their response to situations they may encounter on your team.
For example: Tell me about a time you were turned down or “passed over” for a lead position or promotion.
This question lets you learn how a candidate reacted in a real-world scenario and how they grew after a difficult circumstance.
Thoughtful questions reveal skill, attitude, and culture fit. These are the things a generic checklist of questions can’t. And it’s what matters the most.
Mistake #5: Ignoring Red Flags
Sometimes the interview mistake isn’t asking too little, it’s ignoring too much. If something feels off during an interview, don’t brush it aside.
Why It Hurts
A construction manager once hired a highly skilled foreman with a great resume. He had the experience and resume to be more than qualified for the position. During the interview, he made subtle comments about cutting corners. The manager ignored it because the resume was so strong that he went into the interview already planning to extend an offer. Within six weeks of hiring the new foreman, there were multiple safety incidents and the project was way behind schedule.
Ignoring red flags cost more than wasted onboarding time. It put the team at risk and eroded their trust.
The Solution
Trust your instincts. No matter how great a resume looks or how polished someone is during an interview, dig into red flags. Ask follow up questions to get to the authentic answers.
Mistake #6: Focusing on Credentials Instead of Character
In construction, hands-on experience matters. But so do worth ethic, reliability, and attitude. Many companies fall into the interview mistake of prioritizing experience over culture fit.
Why It Hurts
Hiring someone who looks perfect on paper rarely works out. With AI, it’s easy to build a great resume that matches a specific job description. People can even voice-chat with AI to do mock interviews specific to your job description. As an employer, the challenge is finding someone who has the actual experience to back it up and fits in your company culture and aligns with your core values.
The Solution
Include behavior questions and practical assessments during your interview process. Candidates can describe how they’ve handled a conflict with a boss or answer a problem solving question to show you a more authentic version of themselves.
Mistake #7: Forgetting Follow Up
A subtle but costly interview mistake is poor follow up. Whether it’s a delay in calling candidates or not sending clear next steps, this can crush your offer acceptance rate.
Why It Hurts
Every minute you waste in following up with a great candidate is an opportunity for your competition to hire them.
The Solution
Before you post a job ad, get clear about your interview process from beginning to end. How long does it take you to respond when an application is received? Do you schedule all of the interviews on one day or spread it out? Make sure everyone involved in the hiring process understands the process and the timeline. That way, when candidates have questions, everyone is on the same page.
Stop Driving Candidates Away
Interviews are your chance to attract the right people to your team, but even experienced hiring managers make interview mistakes that cost time, money, and morale.
Stop treating interviews as a formality. Prepare thoughtfully, ask meaningful questions, and sell your company’s unique value. By avoiding the common pitfalls in this article, you’ll see better candidates applying and better hires who stay and grow with your company.
