After nearly three decades in recruitment—first as a recruiter, and now leading Jobprofile here in Switzerland—I’ve seen the same truth play out again and again: smart hiring is the foundation of strong teams. Get it right, and you reduce turnover, build resilience, and create more innovation. But when we rely too much on traditional job interviews, we increase the risk of getting it wrong.
Almost everyone has faced a job interview at some point. They’re standard, almost ritual. But despite all the time and energy they demand, interviews are often poor at identifying the best talent. Too often, they deliver “safe” hires—people who look the part, think alike, and fit a mold. What gets lost is diversity of thought, creativity, and fresh perspectives.
But the interview format, left on its own, simply isn’t enough.
The candidate experience
Think about the process from the candidate’s side. We’ve all been there: ironing clothes the night before, researching the company, practicing answers to the classic questions. On the big day, nerves set in, and the conversation often follows a predictable script: What’s your greatest weakness? Where do you see yourself in five years? Why this role? Why leave your current one?
Candidates deliver polished answers, smile in the right places, and try to strike the right balance of enthusiasm and professionalism. It’s a performance.
The employer’s side
For the hiring manager, the process isn’t much easier. Resumes pile up, interviews get booked, and conversations blur together. Questions are asked, impressions are formed, and in the end, too many decisions come down to a gut feeling.
This is the root of the problem: interviews often measure presentation skills more than real skills. They amplify biases and reward confidence over competence.
Why interviews miss the target
Bias and unfair picks
Human bias is subtle, but powerful. Studies consistently show that looks, height, gender, age, or even voice can tilt perceptions. A tall candidate may be seen as more “leader-like.” A deeper voice can inspire trust more quickly.
Worse, once an interviewer forms an early impression, they often shape the rest of the conversation to confirm it. If they assume someone is less capable, they’ll ask easier questions—denying the chance to show depth. This locks bias in place without the interviewer even realizing it.
Not a true work test
An interview doesn’t replicate real work. Candidates can stretch the truth, polish stories, or adapt experiences to sound more relevant. Most don’t outright lie, but they tailor their responses to fit what they believe the company wants to hear. That’s natural—but it doesn’t always reflect reality.
Relying on “small signals” (a firm handshake, a thank-you note, or a well-crafted LinkedIn profile) to predict performance is shaky at best. These details say little about whether someone can actually do the job.
Gut calls aren’t reliable
We like to trust our instincts. But in hiring, instincts are less reliable because the feedback loop is so long. You don’t know for months—or even years—whether your decision truly paid off. By then, it’s hard to connect the dots back to a single interview.
In my experience launching Adequacy, we often saw recruiters challenge the tool’s results, preferring their intuition. Yet intuition alone rarely beats structured methods.
So, how do we do better?
Ways to sharpen interviews
Interviews will never fully disappear. Candidates expect them, and employers want to see who they might work with. But they shouldn’t carry all the weight.
Instead, we can improve hiring by combining interviews with stronger tools:
- Structured interviews: ask the same questions to all candidates and score answers consistently. This reduces bias and improves fairness.
- Work samples or skills tests: let candidates show what they can actually do.
- Short trials or projects: see how someone works under realistic conditions.
- Cognitive or problem-solving assessments: strong predictors of performance in many roles.
- Cultural analytics: assess candidates and hiring team culture and values.
Interviews can still play a role—but ideally after more objective measures are in place. At that point, the conversation becomes less about “selling yourself” and more about confirming cultural fit and motivation.
Conclusion
Relying mainly on traditional interviews risks missing top talent. The right hires drive growth, stability, and innovation—no matter the size of your company.
We help Swiss firms make smarter hiring decisions, from career coaching and outplacement to culture analytics and recruitment. If you want to explore how to sharpen your hiring process, book a 15-minute call with us. We’ll show you practical steps to reduce bias, identify real talent, and build teams that last.
