Prepare for the upcoming interview by evaluating the position you’re hiring for and going over the candidate’s resume and/or cover letter. Consider what needs the role will fill for the company and then compare those needs to the expected education, skills and experience requirements of your preferred candidate. Carefully organize these requirements into a list and then use them to create intentional interview questions.

Kick off the interview by introducing yourself and discussing the position with the interviewee. Give a brief background and overview of the company and how the position they’re interviewing for fits into the organization’s objectives and goals. This gives job candidates an opportunity to better understand the expectations and responsibilities of the position.

Inform the candidate about what they can expect during the interview process, including its format, how many people will be interviewing them, the expected length and whether or not the company expects them to complete work-related tests or assessments. This keeps the interview organized and sets clear objectives and expectations for both you and the candidate.

Before jumping into role-specific interview questions, it can be useful to better understand the interviewee’s career goals. Ask general questions about their professional interests and why they’re interested in the position. This gives you an opportunity to understand where their expectations lie in terms of professional development and helps you assess their understanding of the company and the position itself.

After asking about the candidate’s career goals, transition to role-specific questions. Consider coming up with a list of interview questions ahead of time. If you’re interviewing multiple candidates, it may also be helpful to come up with a way to score each interviewee. For example, you might grade them on their confidence and poise when answering questions, their ability to answer clearly and concisely and whether they addressed each part of a multiple part question.

Gather additional information about a candidate’s experience by asking follow-up questions. Asking a candidate to expand on their answers can give you greater insight into their thought processes, personality, values and experience. Always be ready to ask a follow-up question and use your list of pre-written interview questions as a guide, rather than a strict plan.

To help you make more confident and informed hiring decisions, take notes during the interview so you can remember more details later on. For example, you can jot down your first impressions of the candidates, take note of their body language. However, be careful to maintain the right balance between note-taking and active listening. Ensure that you’re making eye contact and fully engaging in the conversation, only pausing to take down notes every once in a while.

Make sure you give your interviewee time to ask questions about the position, team and company. Not only does this give them the opportunity to evaluate if the position is a good fit for them, but it also allows you to measure their interest and understanding of the company.

Close the interview by explaining what the candidate can expect in terms of next steps, including when they can expect to hear back from you and what the rest of the interview process might look like. This is also a good time to inform them of your intended timeline for filling the position.

When you know how to conduct an interview, you can find out more than what a job application, resume and cover letter will tell you. Asking the right questions and following an effective and fair interview process can help you decide how well a candidate’s skills, experience and personality align with company needs and avoid costly hiring mistakes.