“Tell me how you would use your communication skills to resolve a conflict with a co-worker?”

Snoozing yet? I’ve heard every answer imaginable to this question. Only one ever stood out—a candidate said they’d “go alpha to assert dominance,” like we were filming a wildlife documentary, not hiring for an office job. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t get hired.

The modern job interview was born in 1921 when Thomas Edison created the “Edison Test”—a 140-question barrage covering everything from hat manufacturing to deadly poisons (with a few job-relevant questions thrown in). Candidates needed a 90% to pass. 98% failed, including Albert Einstein.¹

More than 100 years later, we’re still using the same outdated framework to make hiring decisions. It didn’t work then—and it certainly doesn’t now.

Interviewing’s Fatal Flaws

Let’s break down why traditional interviews don’t work (and never really did):

1. Bias Baked In

Harvard research shows we form opinions in under two seconds.² That may have helped us avoid predators, but it’s a terrible way to evaluate talent. Bias, both conscious and unconscious, is deeply embedded in interviews- and it shows. According to Statistics Canada, women make up only 14% of the construction workforce, dropping to less than 6% in on-site roles.³ Why? Because hiring decisions are still shaped by outdated stereotypes about physical capability and career commitment.

2. Cliché Questions, Rehearsed Answers

Today’s candidates don’t just prepare—they’re coached, AI-polished, and interview-ready. “What’s your greatest weakness?” has been answered so many times it’s become a punchline. So, why are we still asking it? Even Edison, when his test was leaked to the New York Times, rewrote it repeatedly to prevent over-preparation. That approach may be extreme, but at least he was trying to get beyond rehearsed answers. We should too. It’s time to move beyond the rinse-and-repeat questions and start asking ones that genuinely reveal how someone thinks and works.

3. Hiring in a Vacuum

Interviews are often run by HR and one hiring manager—rarely the people the candidate will actually work with. But technical skill isn’t enough. Team fit matters. Without input from future colleagues, we’re just guessing—and bad guesses damage productivity and morale.

4. Past vs. Future

Behavioral interviews ask candidates to talk about past experiences—but that’s no guarantee of future performance. Anyone can say they “learned from a mistake.” Did they? A polished anecdote isn’t the same as demonstrated growth.

5. Charm Over Competence

Some people bomb interviews but excel at the job. Others charm their way through, then flop in practice. Interviews reward charisma—not capability. If the role is about deep focus, behind-the-scenes work, or technical detail, the most charming candidate might be the worst fit.

From Talk to Task: What to Do Instead

So, what should replace this century-old process? Action. Insight. Real evaluation.

1. Simulate the Work—With the Team

Set up a task that mimics something they’d actually do on the job. Keep it short- an hour is plenty. Let your team work with the candidate, so they have firsthand experience with how they collaborate, ask questions, and solve problems. Don’t expect perfection. You’re looking for approach, not polish.

2. Make It a Team Decision

If you must sit down for a conversation, invite the team. When people feel heard, buy-in increases. Let them help choose their next colleague—and start building trust from day one.

3. Flip the Script with Reverse Interviewing

Give candidates the tools to evaluate you. Share a guide with questions they might ask about culture, leadership, and team dynamics. Let them dig into the reality of the role. They’re not just applying to work for you- they’re deciding whether to work with you.⁴ 

4. Use Technical Tests and Portfolios—When It Makes Sense

For roles with essential technical requirements, assess those skills directly. Ask for code samples, editing tests, writing exercises, design portfolios—whatever reflects the real work.

Replace Interviews with Real Insights

According to Harvard Business Review, 80% of employee turnover stems from poor hiring decisions. Of those, 45% come from a lack of process. And the cost of replacing a bad entry-level hire? Roughly 30% of their first-year salary.

So why are we still defending a process that’s outdated, biased, and ineffective?

We shouldn’t.

It’s time to leave résumé buzzwords and rehearsed answers behind, and start building hiring practices rooted in skill, context, and collaboration. Let’s stop asking who interviews best and start finding out who can actually do the job.

Because hiring isn’t about who talks the talk.

It’s about who can do the work.

References

¹Hinton, K. (2024, May 29). Thomas Edison invented the concept of the job interview. History Facts. https://historyfacts.com/science-industry/fact/thomas-edison-test/

² Crosbie, R. (2018. November 29). How Quickly Do People Form an Impression of You? Iowa Association of Business and Industry. https://www.iowaabi.org/news/blog/how-quickly-do-people-form-an-impression-of-you/

³ Bach, Michael. (2025, March 17). Addressing Unconscious Bias: How Gender Stereotypes Affect Hiring. BuildForce Canada. https://www.buildforce.ca/en/blog/addressing-unconscious-bias-how-gender-stereotypes-affect-hiring/

⁴Ringler, T.B. (2025, January 22). Have You Heard About Reverse Interviews? LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/have-you-heard-reverse-interviews-todd-b-ringler-kwhfc/

⁵Satterwhite, R. (2024, March 29). What Leaders Get Wrong About Hiring (And Why It Matters). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2024/03/29/what-leaders-get-wrong-about-hiring-and-why-it-matters/

⁶Randstad. (2023, August 11). Focusing on the High Cost of Employee Turnover. Randstad. https://www.randstad.ca/employers/workplace-insights/talent-management/focusing-on-the-high-cost-of-employee-turnover/

Heather Corbett, CPHR, SHRM-SCP is an HR Coordinator, working for a private college in Vancouver. Her passions within the field of HR are employee training & development, recruitment, and employee management. If you would like to connect, please message her on LinkedIn.

Photo courtesy of Vecteezy.