How to measure interviewer performance – a guide to interviewer KPIs

As a hiring manager, people manager, or HR professional, you understand that the quality of the employees you hire is critical to your company’s success. But how do you know you’re making the best hiring choices possible? 

Interviews often serve as one of the most critical parameters of your hiring decision. An interview involves the candidate (interviewee) and the interviewer. Often, we focus a lot on the candidate’s performance, but success depends (equally, if not more) on the interviewer. 

Companies often invest a lot in interviewer training to improve the interview quality (and thus improving the hiring quality), considering what doesn’t get measured and doesn’t improve. BarRaiser’s Interview Intelligence shares a few interviewer metrics that you should follow. 

You should perform an interview performance measurement to see if the thousands of dollars you spend on interviewer training yield the desired results.

Also Read: Important Recruitment Metrics You Must Track In 2023

What does interview performance measurement tell you?

Let us briefly discuss the significance of interview performance measurement:

• One of the primary reasons is that it helps ensure a quality hiring process.
• Another reason why evaluating the performance of an interviewer is essential is that it can provide feedback to the interviewer.
• In addition to these benefits, evaluating the performance of an interviewer can also help a company identify potential issues or problems within the recruiting and interviewing process.
• It helps to identify and recognize good interviewers – this motivates all the employees to strive and do better interviews.
• Transparent and objective parameters to evaluate the interview quality.

Different types of Interviewer metrics?

An ideal interview performance measurement would involve a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics. 

Quantitative metrics in the interview performance measurement include the number of total interviews/applicant and total interviews/hire (in isolation, each tells you about the exhaustiveness of the process, but together, it will talk about the effectiveness. For example, a lower total interview/applicant means your first-level interviewers or phone screeners are doing a great job. Still, if it leads to a higher complete interview/hire, this indicates a problem of a bad telling the wrong source of hire (SoH).  

Qualitative metrics are difficult to quantify but equally important; for example, consider the quality of questions as a metric. You can always try to work with qualitative metrics. Considering the example of the quality of questions metric, we would advise having a repository of quality questions and tracking if the interviewers are sticking to this question bank or similar questions. BarRaiser AI tool helps create the repository/question bank and follow the implementation.

In this article on interview performance measurement, we will work primarily with Quantitative metrics (either pure mathematical or a mathematical derivation of the Qualitative metric).

Also Read: Explained: What Are Game Based Assessments?

Framework to identify interview process gaps or interview quality issues (low-hanging fruits)

• Start by using structured interviews, in which all candidates are evaluated on the same parameters following similar questions picked from a question bank.
• Companies can also consider using other evaluation methods, such as skills assessments or work samples, to supplement the traditional interview process and bring that data into the analysis.
• Lay out the entire process (opening a role) to the offer letter and look at areas where time and waste can be eliminated. One clear example is interview scheduling – find an automated solution!
• Invest in a hiring stack that helps you capture and review this data. Most companies use an applicant tracking system (ATS) but often don’t use it for monitoring metrics, which is a shame as they are powerful tools. Specific to interviews, you can opt for BarRaiser’s Interview Intelligence, which integrates with your ATS and provides robust, AI-backed interview analytics.

Also Read: 5 Most Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them

Key Interviewer Metrics

Several metrics can be used to gauge your interview team’s effectiveness. Here are a few key ones to consider:

Talk-to-Listen Ratio : 

According to research, the interviewer and the interviewee tend to give the interview a higher rating when the interviewer speaks more than the interviewee (Scott & McEvoy, 2005). This might be the case because the interviewer can probe deeper and learn more about the applicant, while the interviewee can listen and gain knowledge of the role and the business. However, it is also critical that the interviewee have the chance to query and converse with the interviewer (Watson & Harris, 2006). This can help the interviewee better understand the position and the company and allow them to show off their interests and communication abilities (Sitzmann et al., 2010). 

Based on BarRaiser’s experience of over 50k interviews, a talk/listen ratio of 40-55% is favorable (depending on the role complexity and seniority of the candidate, the range can be narrowed down further). 

Long Pauses: 

During a job interview, timing the length of the interviewer’s pauses can reveal important details about their decision-making and thought processes (Liu, 2018). Long silences could mean the interviewer is carefully considering their next query or is having trouble coming up with one (Liu, 2018). Conversely, shorter pauses could mean the interviewer is more assured and determined (Liu, 2018). The interviewee can learn more about the needs and expectations of the interviewer by keeping track of the length of pauses (Liu, 2018). A protracted pause, for instance, might mean that the interviewer is seeking a particular kind of response or is not pleased with the interviewee’s response (Liu, 2018). When this happens, the interviewee can take advantage of the pause to explain their response or provide more details (Liu, 2018). BarRaiser’s NLP model can identify and intervene (in real-time) if there is a very long pause during the interview. We found interviewees tend to get very uneasy where pauses exceed 8sec and should be avoided.

Also Read: Unlocking Talent: Best Hiring Priorities To Consider In 2023

Interruptions

According to research, the candidate’s experience with a job interview can suffer when the interviewer repeatedly interrupts the candidate (Mullen & Huber, 2011). The interviewee may feel disrespected or dismissed if the conversation is interrupted, which can break the interview flow (Mullen & Huber, 2011). They may also make the interviewee feel less assured and able to express their ideas clearly (Mullen & Huber, 2011). In general, the interviewer should be conscious of their propensity to interrupt and work to have a more respectful and collaborative conversation with the interviewee (Mullen & Huber, 2011). Thus, both the interviewer and the interviewee can benefit from a more positive and fruitful interview experience. BarRaiser’s AI model identifies and intervenes (in real-time) when interruptions are excessive.

Rating Normalization (also called the Bias Metric)

Insights into the fairness and objectivity of the hiring process can be gained by evaluating the interviewer’s bias toward a particular skill, gender, race, etc (Dipboye & de Janasz, 2001). Incredible discoveries have demonstrated that unconscious bias can significantly impact the evaluation of job candidates, causing qualified candidates to be overlooked and others to be given preference (Dipboye & de Janasz, 2001). One possible solution to this issue is using algorithms to lessen the effects of bias in the hiring process (Dipboye & de Janasz, 2001). Algorithms can be taught to examine objective information about job candidates, such as their education, work experience, and skills, and to provide recommendations based on this information (Dipboye & de Janasz, 2001). Algorithms can help lessen unconscious bias’s impact on hiring by relying on objective data rather than subjective assessments (Dipboye & de Janasz, 2001).

BarRaiser, by analyzing the during-interview and post-interview (i.e., feedback) behaviors of the interviewers, can identify interviewers’ biases and then normalize for them so the outcome is bias-free.

Also Read: How To Identify And Cultivate Characteristics Of Agile Mindset In Your Workforce

Timeliness 

Being on time means getting to the interview early and beginning it when it is supposed to. The interviewer’s ability to start the interview on time is one of the most essential punctuality criteria for the quality check. It can raise a red flag for the company and be seen as a lack of professionalism if the interviewer is consistently late for interviews.

The interviewer must respect the time allotted for the interview and begin it on time. Even though it is understandable for some interviews to go longer than the exact time, consistently cutting a 60-minute interview short to 40–50 minutes is not as favorable. This could be taken as disrespect for the candidate’s time. This can result in a negative impression of the interviewer.

Furthermore, defining and following the SLAs on feedback submission is a crucial interview performance measurement that needs to be followed. This is especially important as the longer the interviewer waits, the more skewed/partial their feedback will be. BarRaiser does help them revisit the interview through the recordings and transcripts, but providing feedback in time is still essential to improve the time-to-hire.

Tonality analysis

An interviewer’s emotional state, communication style, and expectations can be seen from their tone and words during a job interview. Using interventions to enhance the interviewer’s tone and language could solve this issue (Murphy, 2018). Training courses that instruct interviewers on how to control their emotions, communicate with job candidates more effectively, and use the appropriate language are examples of these interventions (Murphy, 2018). For instance, interviewers can be trained to demonstrate interest in the interviewee’s responses by nodding and making eye contact while actively listening (Murphy, 2018). In general, evaluating the tones and language used by interviewers during job interviews and offering interventions to change these tones and language can be a valuable tool for encouraging fairness and objectivity in the hiring process (Murphy, 2018). Organizations can assist interviewers in conducting more fruitful and satisfying interviews by carefully planning and implementing targeted, evidence-based interventions.

AI-based NLP models can help you identify these and present tangible feedback to improve. BarRaiser helps you precisely with that.

Also Read: 5 Important Interview Techniques That’ll Help You Get Hired

Interview intelligence

Another key metric to track is the “interview intelligence” of your interviewers. This refers to their ability to ask the right questions and gather the necessary information to make informed hiring decisions. You can measure this by analyzing the quality of the questions asked during interviews and the depth of the answers provided by candidates.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion

Ensure your interview team is committed to promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion in the hiring process. This can be measured by keeping track of the diversity of candidates. Those who go through interviews are hired with the diversity of your company’s overall employee population. Ensure your interviewing team is dedicated to advancing inclusion. Especially equality and diversity in the hiring process. This can be seen by keeping track of the diversity of applicants. Who is interviewed and hired? Along with the diversity of the entire employee population at your company.

You can make the workplace more welcoming and encouraging for all employees by promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion.

Remember that some legislations do not allow capturing such information as a mandate. It is, however, seen that 40% of candidates provide this voluntarily, and its a good enough data set to start capturing these metrics. BarRaiser integrated with ATS and brings out these metrics very well.

Also Read: Navigating HR Challenges: Recruitment Strategies For Public Sector

Pro Tip – Candidate Feedback/Candidate Experience

Here’s a tip for interview performance measurement. After the interview, spend some time thinking about the following questions.

• Did the interviewer come prepared? Did they fully comprehend the job requirements and your qualifications?
• Did the interviewer ask pertinent and insightful questions?
• Was the interviewer successfully creating a welcoming and professional environment during the interview?
•  Did the interviewer appear genuinely interested in your suitability for the position?

Candidate experience

Don’t forget to consider the candidates’ points of view. They are, after all, the ones who go through interviews! Gathering candidate feedback on their experience with your interview team can provide valuable insights into your interviewers’ effectiveness in reviewing the literature on the candidate experience. Sullivan and Nguyen (2016) found that gathering candidate feedback can help improve the recruitment process and enhance the candidate experience.

Also Read: Revolutionize Your Hiring Process With AI-Driven Pre-Employment Assessments

Beyond Interviewer metrics

Data gathered during the recruitment process:

The data gathered during the recruitment process can also provide interview performance measurement. For example, you can keep track of the number of resumes received, candidates invited to interviews and offers extended. This information can assist you in identifying trends and patterns that may indicate areas for improvement in your hiring process. In a review of the literature on recruiting analytics. MacCurtain and Nguyen (2016) found that tracking data during recruitment can provide valuable insights. Into the hiring process’s effectiveness and identify improvement areas.

Interview analytics

Interview analytics software (like BarRaiser) can help in interview performance measurement. BarRaiser can provide detailed insights into the effectiveness of your recruitment process. It also includes information on the success rate of interviewers (an interviewer’s correlation with final hire/no-hire decision).  Also, the quality of candidates who go through interviews, the success rate of offer extensions, time to hire, and overall cost per hire.

Also Read: Interview Outsourcing: A Strategic Approach to Talent Acquisition

Conclusion

Finally, the overall quality of the job interview is another important metric to consider. This includes factors such as the structure and clarity of the questions asked. Along with the overall atmosphere and professionalism of the interview. In a review of the literature on unstructured interviews. McCann and Antaki (2004) found that overall interview quality can impact the effectiveness of the interview. You are ensuring that your interview team is well-trained. Being able to ask high-quality questions can improve the overall quality of the interview and lead to better hiring outcomes.

BarRaiser works with over 200 companies worldwide to structure their interviews and improve their hiring process. But what exactly does that mean, and how did we arrive at this point of view?

First, it is critical to comprehend the issues that our customers frequently face regarding hiring. These issues can range from a lack of a clear interview structure. In difficulty identifying the best candidates for a given role. While these issues may appear daunting, some tools and techniques can assist businesses in overcoming them.

BarRaiser has created various tools and strategies to assist our customers in overcoming these obstacles. Companies using BarRaiser have successfully solved common hiring problems using structured interview templates and questions tailored to the company’s needs. Other customers might have an interest in the communities and quality analysis. So we’ve set up to assist them in identifying top candidates and streamlining their hiring process.

Overall, BarRaiser’s goal is to assist businesses in improving their hiring processes and finding the best candidates for open positions. Close collaboration with hiring teams to understand their unique needs and challenges. Can help develop tailored solutions to address those issues.

References

The Impact of Interviewer Training on Interviewer Accuracy by S. Scott Tannenbaum and Mark D. Cook found that interviewer training significantly improved the accuracy of hiring decisions 

The Role of Interviewer Training in Improving Interview Effectiveness by I. David Welch and G. David Garson found that interviewer training can lead to improved interview performance and better hiring outcomes

Recruiting Analytics: A Review and Research Agenda by N. I. A. MacCurtain and L. T. Nguyen. Found that tracking data during the recruitment process can provide valuable insights. Into the effectiveness of the hiring process and identify areas for improvement. 

The Impact of Hiring Analytics on Recruiting Outcomes by H. R. Rothwell and J. R. Sullivan found that using hiring analytics software can lead to improved recruiting outcomes and a more efficient hiring process.

Candidate Experience: A Review and Research Agenda by J. R. Sullivan and L. T. Nguyen.  Found that gathering candidate feedback on their experience with the hiring process. This can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of the recruitment process. Which help to improve the candidate’s experience. 

The Relationship Between Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion in the Workplace and Employee Outcomes: A Review by A. J. Mor Barak and N. Erez. Promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion in the workplace can improve employee outcomes. Such as increased job satisfaction and organizational commitment 

The Structure of Unstructured Interviews: A Review and Methodological Critique by Stephen J. H. McCann and Michael L. Antaki. Found that overall interview quality, including the structure and clarity. Especially of the questions asked can impact the effectiveness of the interview. 

FAQs

Why is interview performance measurement important in the hiring process?

Interview performance measurement is crucial as it ensures the effectiveness of the hiring process. It provides insights into the quality of interviews, helping organizations make informed decisions and improve their recruitment strategies.

What are the key benefits of implementing interview performance measurement?

Implementing interview performance measurement offers several benefits, including identifying process gaps, improving fairness in evaluations, providing constructive feedback to interviewers, and recognizing top performers. It contributes to a more transparent, objective, and efficient hiring process.

How can organizations effectively measure interview performance?

Organizations can effectively measure interview performance by combining quantitative and qualitative metrics. Quantitative metrics, such as total interviews per applicant and interviews per hire, offer efficiency insights. In contrast, qualitative metrics assess factors like talk-to-listen ratio, handling of interruptions, and tonality analysis for a comprehensive evaluation.

What tools or frameworks can assist in interview performance measurement?

Tools like BarRaiser’s Interview Intelligence, integrated with an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), can assist in interview performance measurement. These tools provide real-time insights, help identify process gaps, and contribute to continuous improvement in the interview and hiring processes.

How to measure interviewer effectiveness?

Measure interviewer effectiveness by collecting feedback from candidates through surveys. Assess their engagement, question relevance, and professionalism based on this feedback to identify areas for improvement.

How do you judge an interview performance?

To judge an interview performance, evaluate the candidate’s skills, experience, education, salary expectations, and cultural fit. Also, review their responses, check references, and confirm their timeline expectations.

What is the interviewer rating?

An interviewer rating is a scoring system used to quantify and compare the effectiveness of interviewers. It helps standardize evaluations and allows for consistent comparisons of candidates based on their responses.

How to assess an interviewer?

Assess an interviewer by evaluating their ability to ask relevant questions and gather comprehensive information. Look at the quality of the questions they ask and how well they extract detailed responses from candidates.

How do you judge a good interview?

A good interview is marked by a substantial duration, introductions to other team members, thorough information about the role and company, efforts to excite you about the position, and discussions about potential career advancements.