Job interview

What is a job interview?

A job interview is a conversation between an employer and a candidate to assess whether they are the right fit for a role. It forms a key part of the hiring process and helps businesses evaluate skills, experience, communication style, and cultural fit before making an offer.

Why job interviews matter

Job interviews help businesses see the person behind the CV. Skills and experience matter, of course, but interviews reveal how someone communicates, solves problems, and fits into the team day to day.

That is becoming even more important as hiring gets more competitive. Recent UK recruitment data shows employers receive an average of 280 applications per vacancy, so a polished CV alone does not tell the full story.  

A structured interview process helps businesses cut through the noise, compare candidates fairly, and hire with far more confidence.

Common types of job interviews

Businesses use different types of job interviews depending on the role, industry, and stage of the hiring process.

Common formats include:

• Phone interview - A quick first-stage screening call.

• Video interview - Popular for remote hiring and flexible recruitment.

• Panel interview - Multiple interviewers assess the candidate together.

• Behavioural interview - Focuses on past experiences and workplace situations.

• Technical interview - Tests job-specific knowledge or practical skills.

• Remote job interview - Conducted fully online, often for hybrid or remote roles.

Some employers also use task-based interviews or informal final-stage chats. Yes, sometimes over coffee. Britain does love a “quick informal chat”.

What happens during a job interview?

Most job interviews follow a fairly similar structure, even if the format changes.

A typical interview process includes:

• A short introduction and overview of the role

• Questions about the candidate’s experience and skills

• Behavioural interview questions based on real work situations

• Discussion around responsibilities, salary, or availability

• Candidate questions about the business or role

• Explanation of the next steps in the hiring process

Some employers may also include practical tasks, presentations, or assessments.

Common interview questions employers ask

Most interview questions are designed to assess experience, communication skills, and how a candidate handles real workplace situations.

Common interview questions include:

• “Tell us about yourself”

• “Why do you want this role?”

• “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”

• “Describe a challenge you faced at work”

• “Why are you leaving your current job?”

• “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

Many employers also use behavioural interview questions, which ask candidates to describe how they handled real workplace situations in the past.

What is the STAR method in interviews?

The STAR method is a structured way for candidates to answer behavioural interview questions using real examples from previous jobs or projects.

STAR stands for:

• Situation - The context or challenge

• Task - What needed to be done

• Action - What the candidate did

• Result - The outcome achieved

Many employers use the STAR method interview approach because it gives clearer, more practical answers than vague “I’m a team player” responses. It helps businesses assess problem-solving skills, communication, and how someone performs in real workplace situations.

Job interview example

A growing ecommerce business in Bristol was hiring a customer service manager after receiving complaints about slow response times and inconsistent support.

During the job interview, the employer asked a behavioural interview question: “Tell us about a time you improved customer satisfaction under pressure.”

The candidate used the STAR method of approach to answer. They explained that their previous company was dealing with a backlog of customer emails during a product launch. They reorganised shift patterns, created priority response templates, and introduced daily team check-ins. Within three weeks, response times dropped and customer satisfaction scores improved.

That detailed, real-world answer gave the employer confidence that the candidate could handle similar challenges in the new role.

Common interview mistakes

Many hiring problems start with a weak or inconsistent interview process rather than the candidate themselves. Common employer interview mistakes include:

• Asking vague or repetitive interview questions

• Failing to prepare properly before the interview

• Judging candidates too quickly

• Talking more than listening

• Not using a consistent scoring process

• Ignoring cultural fit or communication skills

• Rushing the interview process to fill a vacancy quickly

And yes, hiring someone purely because they seemed “nice in the interview” can backfire surprisingly fast.

Job interview vs assessment centre

A job interview usually focuses on one-to-one conversations and interview questions designed to assess experience, communication, and suitability for a role.

An assessment centre is broader and often includes group tasks, presentations, roleplay exercises, and practical tests to evaluate candidates in different situations.

Tips for employers running effective interviews

To run effective job interviews:

• Prepare questions before the interview instead of improvising

• Use the same core interview questions for every candidate

• Include behavioural interview questions with real-world scenarios

• Give candidates time to explain their thinking properly

• Score answers using clear criteria rather than gut feeling

• Leave time for candidate questions at the end

• Test technology beforehand for any video interview or remote job interview

Whether it is a quick video interview or a formal panel interview, a structured and well-prepared approach helps businesses make smarter hiring decisions and gives candidates a fairer experience from start to finish.