People & Leadership
Most small-business hiring is decided in the first five minutes, by a feeling
An owner meets a candidate, likes them, asks whatever comes to mind, and hires. Sometimes it works. Often it means the most confident talker beat the most capable worker, and the questions asked of one candidate were never asked of another. This session shows owners how to run a short, structured interview: decide what the role needs first, ask every candidate the same core questions, score what you heard, and stay clear of questions that are unfair or that the law and good practice say should not be asked. It is practical guidance, not legal advice.
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An interview you cannot explain afterwards is a guess.
In a small business there is usually no HR team, no panel and no scoring sheet. The owner interviews alone, remembers the last candidate best, and is easily moved by confidence, a shared hometown or a good first impression. None of that tells you whether the person can do the work.
Structure does not mean being cold or formal. It means deciding in advance what you are looking for, asking everybody the same important questions, and writing down what you heard while it is fresh. It also means knowing which questions are unfair, and in some cases unlawful, to ask. Done this way, the interview is shorter, the decision is easier to defend, and candidates are treated more fairly.
What the session covers
38 topics across 7 areas. Seven parts, from preparing the role to the final decision. General practice, not legal advice. 6 apply to almost any business; the rest only in a particular case.
Decide What the Role Needs FirstYou cannot judge a candidate against a role you have not defined.5
- The three to five outcomes the person must deliver in the first six months
- The skills that must be there on day one, and the ones that can be taught
- The working conditions: hours, location, travel, pay range
- What would make somebody a poor fit, written down honestly
- Who else should meet the candidate, and what each will look for
Screening Before You MeetSpend interview time only on people who could do the job.5
- Read each application against the same short list of must-haves
- A short phone or video call to check availability, pay expectations and basics
- Not rejecting good candidates because of gaps, a college name or a city
- Keeping a simple record of who you screened out and why
- Handling candidates' documents and contact details with care
Structured QuestionsSame core questions, in the same order, for everyone.6
You can still be conversational. The structure is in the core questions, not in the tone. Good follow-up questions will differ from candidate to candidate; the main ones should not.
- Questions about what the candidate has actually done, not what they would do
- A question on how they handled a mistake or a disagreement
- A question on how they learn something new
- Role-specific questions, with a note of what a good answer contains
- Follow-ups that ask for detail: what exactly did you do, and what happened
- Leaving time for the candidate's own questions, which tell you a lot
Questions Not to AskUnfair to candidates, and risky for the business.7
Several laws point against discrimination in hiring. For example, the Code on Wages prohibits discrimination on the ground of gender in recruitment for the same work, and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 prohibits discrimination against transgender persons in matters of employment, including recruitment. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 asks establishments to have an equal opportunity policy. How these apply to your business depends on its size and sector, so confirm with a lawyer or HR professional. Whatever the law says, the principle is simple: ask only what you need to know to judge the work.
- Marital status, plans for marriage or children, or pregnancy
- Religion, caste or community, or what the surname suggests
- Gender identity or sexual orientation
- Age, unless a legal requirement for the role makes it relevant
- Questions about a disability or health, beyond asking whether they can do the essential duties of the job, with any reasonable adjustment
- The salary of the previous job, where a pay range for the role would do
- Comments on appearance, accent or family background
If a candidate volunteers personal information, do not build on it and do not let it affect the decision.
Practical Tests and Work SamplesWatching somebody do a small piece of the job beats asking about it.5
- A short task that resembles real work, taking an hour or less
- Using a made-up case rather than your actual client data
- Paying for, or at least limiting, any task that takes real time
- Telling candidates what the task is for and how it will be judged
- Not using a free task to get work done for the business
Scoring and ComparingWrite it down before you discuss it.5
- A simple one-to-five score for each thing that matters, with a line of evidence
- Scoring straight after each interview, before talking to anybody else
- Comparing scores across candidates before overall impressions
- Noticing your own bias: similarity, confidence, first and last impressions
- Checking references with the same few questions for each candidate
Closing the Process WellIf it appliesHow you treat people you do not hire shows in your reputation.5
- Telling every interviewed candidate the outcome, politely and promptly
- Making an offer in writing, with role, pay and start date
- Giving brief feedback to a candidate who asks, if it is useful and kind
- Keeping a second candidate warm in case the first declines
- Getting the appointment letter and documents ready before day one
A one-page interview kit to prepare
- The role outcomes and must-have skills
- Five to seven core questions, with what a good answer sounds like
- A scoring sheet with space for evidence
- A short work sample, if the role suits one
- A list of questions you will not ask
Habits that make interviews unfair
- Asking different candidates different questions
- Deciding in the first few minutes and spending the rest confirming it
- Talking more than the candidate does
- Hiring somebody because they remind you of yourself
- Letting an unrelated personal detail affect the decision
How the session runs
An HR practitioner or an employer experienced in hiring explains the approach and then works through a made-up role with the group: defining what it needs, choosing core questions and scoring two imagined candidates. Participants draft their own one-page interview kit for a role they expect to fill. The session gives general practice on fair interviewing, not legal advice. Questions about what applies to your business belong with a lawyer or HR professional.
What your students leave with
- A one-page description of what the role actually needs, written before any interview
- A set of core questions, with notes on what a good answer sounds like
- A simple scoring sheet they can use for every candidate
- A plain list of questions not to ask, and why
- A practical test or work sample matched to the job
- A way to compare candidates and give a decision without guesswork
Scheduled sessions
Nothing scheduled yet
Sessions are arranged with a college once a date is agreed. Ask us and we will find the right person for it.
A student rather than a college? See what is coming up, or ask your placement team to host this.
An interview you cannot explain afterwards is a guess.
Tell us who your students are and what stage they are at. Sessions are free for participants.