Interviewing Best Practices from Coursera

This course is for talent acquisition professionals who want to streamline and improve their interviewing process.

The process of interviewing and hiring has been around for eons. However, as the profession of recruiting has adapted to changes in the economy and technology, so has the interviewing process. Recruiters and hiring managers must be prepared to implement well thought out strategies to assess top talent in our industries.

This course focuses on arguably the most subjective of these steps —conducting the screening of candidates—and the most important assessment technique: the interview. It is difficult to make judgments about people in years, let alone days; and yet this is what the hiring process requires.

To be successful in this course, you should have a background in talent acquisition.

By the end of this course, you will be able to compare the strengths and weaknesses of the traditional, situational, case, behavioral-based, and performance-based interview formats. You will have a keen understanding of the recruitment process including the players involved, and tips on developing interview questions and leveraging resources. You’ll also learn how to prepare an interview team and develop an outline of interview questions to evaluate specific candidate competencies, and much more!

What's inside

Syllabus

Understanding the Recruitment Process

Today’s hiring teams must implement well thought out strategies to find and attract the talent needed to make the organization successful. This course focuses on arguably the most subjective of these steps - conducting the screening of candidates - and the most important assessment technique: the interview.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Illustrates the importance of interviewing talent in the industry

Provides tips on developing interview questions and leveraging resources

Addresses the subjectivity of the interview process

May require background knowledge in talent acquisition for optimal understanding

Focuses on behavioral-based and performance-based interview formats

Does not delve into advanced interviewing techniques or niche topics

Reviews summary

Essential interviewing practices for ta professionals

According to prospective learners, this course offers a comprehensive overview of interviewing best practices, providing practical strategies for talent acquisition professionals. It's particularly lauded for its well-structured modules and clear, concise explanations of complex topics. While designed for those with an existing talent acquisition background, it serves as an excellent resource to refine skills and streamline hiring processes. Some may find its approach more theoretical than hands-on, but overall, it provides a solid foundation for improving interview effectiveness.

Best for those with some existing TA experience.

"This course is truly valuable if you already work in talent acquisition."

"As someone new to recruiting, I found it helpful, but it definitely builds on existing knowledge."

"It’s not a basic HR introduction; rather, it’s a refinement for experienced professionals."

Content is presented clearly and logically.

"The course material was very easy to follow and digest, module by module."

"Each section built nicely on the previous one, making the learning flow logical and intuitive."

"I found the explanations concise and to the point, which saved me time."

Covers key interview types and recruitment stages.

"I appreciate the detailed breakdown of different interview formats and their applications."

"The syllabus covers all the crucial steps from candidate screening to managing the offer phase."

"It’s a complete guide to improving the entire interview process from start to finish."

Provides immediately applicable strategies for recruiters.

"I found many tips that I could implement right away in my daily work."

"The course gave me practical tools to refine our interviewing approach."

"It truly helped me streamline our hiring process for better outcomes."

Focuses more on theory than practical exercises.

"I wished there were more interactive scenarios or role-playing exercises to practice the concepts."

"While informative, I felt it lacked opportunities for direct hands-on application."

"The course provides great concepts, but doesn't include practical application tasks or case studies to work through."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Interviewing Best Practices with these activities:

Review the basics of talent acquisition.

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Ensure a solid foundation for the content of this course.

Browse courses on Talent Acquisition

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Read the course overview and introduction materials.
Review books or resources on talent acquisition.

Create a resource repository for interviewing.

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Organize and access materials for future reference.

Browse courses on Talent Acquisition

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Gather materials from different sources.
Organize materials in a centralized location.

Read 'The Effective Interviewer' by Thomas Hanson.

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Gain insights from experts in the field.

View Sophia Robot (Routledge Advances in Theatre &... on Amazon

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Purchase the book.
Read the book.

Five other activities

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Conduct mock interviews.

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Improve your conducting skills through practice.

Browse courses on Interview Skills

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Prepare questions.
Interview candidates.
Review interview performance.

Take practice online assessments.

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Test and enhance your interviewing skills.

Browse courses on Interview Skills

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Identify online assessments.
Take practice assessments.
Review performance.

Participate in competitions.

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Challenge yourself with real-world scenarios.

Browse courses on Talent Acquisition

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Research competitions.
Register for competitions.
Prepare for competitions.
Participate in competitions.
Review performance.

Develop an interview guide.

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Create a valuable resource for your future interviews.

Browse courses on Interview Skills

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Gather input from stakeholders.
Develop an interview guide.
Review and refine interview guide.

Develop a case study.

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Apply your learning by creating a real-world case study.

Browse courses on Case study

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Choose a topic.
Research the topic.
Develop a case study.
Present the case study.

Career center

Learners who complete Interviewing Best Practices will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers oversee all aspects of human resources for organizations, including recruitment, hiring, and employee relations. This course can be especially helpful for Human Resources Managers, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Hiring Manager

Hiring Managers are responsible for making hiring decisions for organizations. They work with recruiters to identify and interview candidates. This course can be especially helpful for Hiring Managers, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hiring Manager

Chief Human Resources Officer

CHROs are responsible for all aspects of human resources for organizations. They develop and implement strategies to attract, hire, and retain top talent. This course can be especially helpful for CHROs, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Human Resources Officer

Human Resources Business Partner

Human Resources Business Partners work with business leaders to develop and implement human resources strategies. This course can be especially helpful for Human Resources Business Partners, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

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Talent Acquisition Specialist

Talent Acquisition Specialists work with recruiters to identify and hire top talent for organizations. They may also be responsible for developing and implementing recruiting strategies. This course can be especially helpful for Talent Acquisition Specialists, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

See salaries and explore the career path for Talent Acquisition Specialist

Talent Acquisition Manager

Talent Acquisition Managers lead the recruitment and hiring process for organizations. They are responsible for developing and implementing strategies to attract and hire top talent. This course can be especially helpful for Talent Acquisition Managers, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

See salaries and explore the career path for Talent Acquisition Manager

Recruiter

Recruiters identify, attract, and hire top talent for organizations. They work with hiring managers to develop job descriptions and interview candidates. This course can be especially helpful for Recruiters, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

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HRIS Manager

HRIS Managers oversee the implementation and management of human resources information systems (HRIS) for organizations. This course can be especially helpful for HRIS Managers, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

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Career Counselor

Career Counselors help people to develop and achieve their career goals. They provide guidance on job searching, resume writing, and interviewing. This course can be especially helpful for Career Counselors, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

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Organizational Development Specialist

Organizational Development Specialists help organizations to improve their performance by developing and implementing strategies to improve employee engagement, productivity, and leadership. This course can be especially helpful for Organizational Development Specialists, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

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Training and Development Manager

Training and Development Managers oversee the development and implementation of training programs for organizations. This course can be especially helpful for Training and Development Managers, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

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Diversity and Inclusion Manager

Diversity and Inclusion Managers develop and implement strategies to create and maintain inclusive workplaces. This course can be especially helpful for Diversity and Inclusion Managers, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

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Compensation and Benefits Manager

Compensation and Benefits Managers oversee the development and implementation of compensation and benefits programs for organizations. This course can be especially helpful for Compensation and Benefits Managers, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

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Employee Relations Manager

Employee Relations Managers oversee all aspects of employee relations for organizations, including employee engagement, grievances, and discipline. This course can be especially helpful for Employee Relations Managers, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews.

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Headhunter

Headhunters, also called executive recruiters, are employed by companies to find and recruit highly qualified candidates for executive-level positions. This course can be especially helpful for Headhunters, as it can help them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct successful interviews and assess top talent. The course covers topics such as understanding the recruitment process, preparing for successful interviews, and conducting successful interviews. This course may be useful for those looking to enter the field of Headhunting.

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