Most advice on how to conduct interviews focuses on asking better questions. But the real work lies in asking better questions of ourselves.
Hiring isn’t just a process; it’s a lens. It shows us what we value, what we overlook, and how clearly we’re able to perceive people when it matters. The truth is, most interview mistakes stem from misperception, not malice. We think we’re evaluating candidates, but often we’re just confirming our instincts. We think we’re assessing “fit,” but we haven’t defined what fit means. We think we’re looking at them, when really, we’re looking through them, or past them.
Done well, interviewing becomes something closer to a craft. A conversation, yes, but also a moment of diagnosis. What’s going on here, with this human? What’s visible? What’s masked? What matters?
This article is not a checklist. It’s a guide to seeing.
Why bad interviews persist
Poor interviews are rarely noticed in the moment. The damage emerges later. In bad hires, misfit roles, missed potential, or toxic team dynamics. Yet the root cause is often the same: we misread someone. Or we failed to look closely at all.
Some of this is structural. We’re busy. We’re under pressure. But often it’s perceptual: we mistake polish for capability, likability for fit, confidence for depth. We favor people who reflect our own strengths or our own insecurities.
To fix this, we need to first name the patterns.
The 20 most common (and revealing) interviewer mistakes
Here's what 15 years of hiring experience has taught me are the 20 most common interview mistakes made by the interviewer.
1. Using a job description that no longer matches the work
Roles evolve. When the description doesn’t, you’re interviewing for a version of the job that no longer exists.
2. Defining “fit” vaguely or not at all
Most companies claim to hire for fit. Few can articulate what that actually means. Until you do, you’re just hiring for similarity.
3. Talking more than you listen
You can’t learn about someone if you’re the one doing the storytelling. Interviews aren’t monologues; they’re mirrors.
4. Judging confidence instead of content
Some candidates speak fluently about very little. Others have depth but lack polish. Don’t confuse articulation with understanding.
5. Over-relying on first impressions
The person you meet in the first 90 seconds is just one version of them. Interviews reward fast thinkers, not always the best ones.
6. Failing to probe with follow-ups
If you only ask surface questions, you’ll get surface answers. Real insight often lives in the second or third layer.
7. Not asking about real-world behavior
To gauge traits like grit or integrity, don’t look for adjectives. Look for actions. Ask what they did when things went sideways.
8. Misreading ambition
Genuine ambition often looks quieter than expected. Look for momentum in their work and not just volume in their voice.
9. Relying on memory, not notes
Memory favors charisma. Notes favor evidence. Record what you learn using an AI note taker and not just what you feel.
10. Avoiding hard topics
If something in their résumé doesn’t quite make sense, don’t dance around it. Ask. Gently, directly, and without assumption.
11. Asking questions that lead the witness
“Would you say you’re collaborative?” is not a real question. Ask for stories, not self-assessments.
12. Ignoring how context shapes performance
People succeed—or flounder—based on environment. Before judging their output, ask about their previous ecosystem.
13. Equating likeability with competence
You’re hiring a colleague, not a dinner guest. Chemistry is great. Capability is greater.
14. Using assessments without context
If you’re going to test skills with candidate assessment software, make sure the test is relevant, fair, and expected. Otherwise, you’re measuring compliance, not competence.
15. Skipping team exposure
Even a short team meeting can reveal interpersonal dynamics that no solo interview ever will.
16. Ghosting rejected candidates
This isn’t just bad manners, it’s brand damage. A rejected candidate today might be your best candidate in six months.
17. Failing to clarify the interview structure
Uncertainty breeds anxiety. Let candidates know what to expect and why it matters.
18. Confusing storytelling ability with substance
Some candidates are naturally compelling. Others are understated. Don’t confuse eloquence with experience.
19. Trusting references blindly—or not at all
References are often either glorified testimonials or legal evasions. The good ones? They’re gold but only if you know how to dig.
20. Believing your perspective is complete
You’re only seeing a sliver of someone. The goal isn’t certainty—it’s clarity. And clarity takes humility.
Bonus Tip: Use asynchronous interviews to get the basics out of the way
Live interviews should be reserved for depth. Use async interviews—like on-demand video interviews or audio responses—to cover foundational questions upfront. This gives you more time for follow-ups, reduces scheduling friction, and lets candidates show up without performance pressure.
Interviewing is less about judgment and more about discernment
To interview well is to practice a rare form of presence: being deeply curious without being easily persuaded. Being alert to red flags, but also to hidden gems. Knowing when you’re projecting, and pulling yourself back.
Some of the best hiring decisions come not from spotting the most impressive person, but from recognizing the person whose gifts are misaligned with their current role and imagining what they could do with the right one.
It’s not just a matter of finding the best candidate. It’s helping someone discover whether they’re in the right conversation with their work and whether that conversation continues with you.
Three ways to become a clearer interviewer
Here are three things you can do to avoid the most common hiring mistakes.
- Think in systems, not traits
Ask yourself: in what context does this person thrive? What rhythms bring out their best work? What conditions dull it? - Ask questions that reveal pattern, not performance
Instead of "What are your strengths?" try "What’s a piece of feedback you’ve internalized?" Instead of “Why this job?” ask “What parts of the role do you imagine losing track of time in?” - Treat references as qualitative research, not a formality
Don’t ask “Were they good?” Ask, “Where did they surprise you?” or “When did they stretch beyond what you expected?”
A final provocation: what’s the role you’re really hiring for?
Most of us think we’re hiring for output. But often we’re hiring for something more human: presence, momentum, pattern recognition, emotional agility, generosity under pressure. These things are harder to screen for—but easier to feel, if you make space to notice them.
If hiring is the most important thing you do, then interviewing is not a task to complete. It’s a skill to practice. A way of seeing. A discipline in judgment.
And like all disciplines, the point isn’t to get it perfect.
The point is to get clearer.
