Pre-hire assessments have become a crucial part of modern recruitment, helping organizations objectively evaluate candidates' skills before an interview. However, while these assessments provide valuable insights, interviews remain essential for verifying results, assessing soft skills, and understanding a candidate’s real-world application of their abilities. Here’s how to effectively interview candidates after they have completed pre-hire assessments.

1. Review Assessment Results Before the Interview

Before the interview, recruiters should analyze the candidate’s pre-hire assessment scores to:

• Identify their strengths and weaknesses.

• Understand their problem-solving approach.

• Prepare specific follow-up questions based on assessment performance.

This ensures that the interview is structured around meaningful discussions rather than re-evaluating already tested skills.

2. Use Behavioral and Situational Questions

Since pre-hire assessments focus on technical or cognitive abilities, interviews should explore how candidates apply these skills in real-world scenarios. Consider asking:

• "Can you describe a situation where you applied [skill] to solve a problem?"

• "Tell me about a time when you had to learn a new skill quickly. How did you approach it?"

• "How would you handle [specific work challenge] based on your experience?"

These questions help gauge practical application, adaptability, and decision-making skills.

3. Assess Soft Skills and Cultural Fit

While pre-hire assessments measure technical abilities, they may not fully capture soft skills like:

• Communication

• Leadership

• Teamwork

• Conflict resolution

Asking situational and open-ended questions helps determine whether a candidate aligns with the company’s culture and values.

4. Conduct Skill-Based Demonstrations

If necessary, incorporate live tasks or case studies in the interview to:

• Validate assessment results in a real-time setting.

• Observe how candidates think and perform under pressure.

• Evaluate problem-solving and collaboration abilities.

For example, in a coding role, ask candidates to debug a simple program or explain their thought process for solving a technical issue.

5. Clarify Expectations and Growth Potential

Interviews should also focus on long-term potential. Consider discussing:

• How candidates plan to develop their skills further.

• Their interest in career progression within the company.

• Any gaps in skills and how they plan to address them.

This helps determine whether the candidate is both a short-term and long-term fit for the role.

6. Provide a Transparent and Engaging Experience

Candidates appreciate a hiring process that is structured, transparent, and engaging. Provide:

• Clear expectations about the role and company culture.

• Honest feedback on assessment results.

• An opportunity for candidates to ask questions about the team and growth opportunities.

This creates a positive candidate experience and increases the likelihood of securing top talent.

Conclusion

Pre-hire assessments provide a solid foundation for data-driven hiring, but interviews remain critical for a well-rounded evaluation. By focusing on behavioral insights, practical demonstrations, and cultural fit, organizations can ensure they hire the right candidate for the job. A structured, skills-focused interview process builds confidence in hiring decisions and contributes to long-term workforce success.