The Smartest Way to Hire: Why a Thorough Interview Process is Worth It

As a recruiter, I completely understand the urge to move fast. We all want to secure top talent before another company catches them. In today’s hiring landscape, especially for remote roles, making an offer after a single video call is tempting.

But here’s the truth: an efficient and thorough interview process leads to stronger, more successful long-term hires.

At Harrison Gray Search, we always advocate for a structured and intentional interview process. While we encourage our clients to move quickly to avoid losing great candidates, we also emphasize the importance of making well-informed hiring decisions. The key is finding the balance between efficiency and depth.

Why a One-Interview Hire is Risky

Relying on a single video interview to decide hiring creates a significant blind spot. A quick hire may feel like a win in the moment, but the risks are substantial:

Surface-Level Assessment: One conversation rarely reveals a candidate’s true capabilities, work style, or cultural fit.
Lack of Team Input: Without multiple touchpoints, hiring managers miss getting different perspectives on how the candidate will mesh with the team.
Potential for Misalignment: Candidates can present well in a one-off call, but do their long-term expectations and values align with your company?

What an Effective, Thorough Interview Process Looks Like

An ideal interview process is designed to evaluate a candidate holistically—without unnecessary delays. Here’s how to achieve that balance:

Structured Multi-Step Interviews
- Start with a video screening to assess basic qualifications and initial fit.
- Follow up with a deeper technical or skills-based interview.
- Schedule a culture-fit discussion or panel interview with key team members.
- If possible, include an in-person or final-stage video interview to build rapport and confirm the fit.
Consistency & Evaluation Criteria
- Use the same questions and criteria across interviews to ensure a fair and objective assessment.
- Involve multiple interviewers to gather diverse perspectives.
Realistic Job Previews
- For some roles, incorporating a case study, project, or work sample test can provide insight into how the candidate performs in real-world scenarios.
Clear & Timely Communication
- While multiple steps are essential, a long, drawn-out process is not. Set clear expectations and keep timelines tight to ensure a smooth candidate experience.

The Long-Term ROI of a Thoughtful Hiring Process

Hiring isn’t just about filling an open role, it’s about finding the right person to contribute and stay for the long haul. A rushed process can lead to mismatches, high turnover, and increased hiring costs. A thorough process, on the other hand, increases:

Employee Retention: Candidates vetted through a strong process are likelier to succeed and stay.
Team Cohesion: Ensuring a good culture and team fit reduces friction and enhances productivity. It also shows your current team you're careful to hire the right teammates and give them ownership over the hire.
Overall Hiring Success: Making well-informed decisions leads to fewer mis-hires and more significant business impact.

Final Thoughts

As much as recruiters like myself push for speed, the best hiring decisions come from an efficient yet thorough interview process. Hiring managers should resist the temptation to shortcut the process just to get a body in the seat. Instead, trust in a well-structured, multi-touchpoint approach that sets both the company and the candidate up for long-term success.

By striking the right balance between moving quickly and being thorough, companies can build teams that aren’t just good hires but lasting ones.