As an interviewer, the way you engage with candidates shapes their experience and the quality of insights you gather. Much like hosting a thoughtful conversation over coffee, a successful interview begins with clarity, warmth, and genuine interest. When you set a welcoming tone and practice active listening, you help candidates feel comfortable enough to share their true selves — and you get the information you need to make confident hiring decisions.

You'll often find yourself:

• Setting a positive, structured tone from the very first moments
• Building rapport and helping candidates feel at ease
• Practicing active listening to encourage authentic, detailed responses

Clarity and warmth are the foundation of a great interview. When you greet candidates with a friendly introduction and outline what to expect, you help reduce anxiety and set the stage for an open conversation. For example, rather than jumping straight into questions, you might say: “Hi, I’m glad you could join us today. I’ll walk you through the interview format, and there will be time for your questions at the end.”

Small gestures — like a smile, using the candidate’s name, or acknowledging nerves — can make a big difference. If you notice someone seems anxious, you might say: “I know interviews can be a bit nerve-wracking. Take your time with your answers. I’m here to learn about your experiences.” This helps candidates relax and share more genuine stories.

Once you’ve set a welcoming tone, begin with a light, job-relevant question to break the ice, such as: “What drew you to apply for this role?” This keeps things professional and focused, while still inviting the candidate to open up. As you transition into the main interview, clarify that you’ll be asking a set of questions and are interested in real examples from their experience. This helps keep the conversation fair and on track.

If a candidate gives a brief or hesitant answer, encourage them to elaborate: “That’s a great start. Can you tell me a bit more about how you approached that situation?” This shows you value their input and want to understand their perspective.

A helpful framework to guide your questioning and keep the conversation structured is the “TED” approach:

• Tell me more…
• Explain what happened…
• Describe how you handled…

Using open-ended prompts like these encourages candidates to share richer, more detailed responses, and helps you gain deeper insights into their experiences.

Here’s how this might sound in practice:

• Ryan: Hi Jake, thanks for joining today. Before we get started, I want to let you know how the interview will go. I’ll ask you a few questions about your past experiences, and there will be time for your questions at the end.
• Jake: Thanks, Ryan. I’m a bit nervous, to be honest.

Active listening is at the heart of effective interviewing. It means giving your full attention, responding thoughtfully, and making candidates feel heard. Show you’re engaged by maintaining eye contact, nodding, and using brief verbal cues like “I see,” or “That makes sense.”

After a candidate finishes speaking, pause for a moment — this gives them space to add more if they wish. If you need clarification, ask follow-up questions that dig deeper into their thought process, such as: “What was the biggest challenge you faced in that project, and how did you handle it?”

Avoid interrupting, even if you’re pressed for time. Cutting someone off can make them feel undervalued and may prevent you from hearing important details. If you need to guide the conversation, do so gently, always keeping your focus on understanding their experiences.

Here are some practical ways to demonstrate attentiveness during interviews:

By using attentive language and inviting candidates to elaborate, you help create a welcoming, engaging, and productive interview environment — one where candidates can truly shine and you can gather the evidence you need for confident hiring decisions.

As you move forward, try incorporating one new technique from this lesson into your next interview — whether it’s setting a clear agenda, acknowledging nerves, or pausing to let candidates finish their thoughts. Notice how these small changes can make your interviews more comfortable, insightful, and effective. Next up: Practice opening an interview, building rapport, and helping a nervous candidate feel at ease in a role-play scenario.