At Birdeey, we've been listening to hiring leaders and conducting discovery research to understand what makes hiring work—and what makes it fail.

We asked a straightforward question: "What is the main purpose of an interview?"

The answers revealed a fundamental problem in most hiring processes.

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What Hiring Leaders Told Us

Here's how leaders defined the main purpose of interviews:

52% - Fit. Determining if the candidate is the right 'fit' for us.

35% - An assessment. Evaluating if they can do the role.

7% - A test.

6% - Sales/Get to know us/Other.

More than half of hiring teams focus on "fit," while over a third prioritize capability assessment. Only a small percentage view interviews as an opportunity to sell the candidate on the role or build mutual understanding.

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The Problem with Misalignment

When your hiring team doesn't share a common understanding of what interviews are for, you get:

Inconsistent evaluation - Each interviewer assesses different things, making it impossible to compare candidates fairly.

Random questions - Without a unified purpose, interviewers ask whatever comes to mind rather than following a strategic framework.

Mixed candidate signals - Candidates receive conflicting messages about what matters, leaving them confused about how to present themselves.

Gut-feel decisions - When there's no alignment on criteria, hiring decisions default to subjective impressions rather than objective evaluation.

Without alignment on purpose, interviews become subjective experiences rather than strategic evaluation tools.

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Why This Matters for Hiring Success

The interview is where expectations have the most influence on outcomes.

Think about it: if one interviewer is evaluating technical skills while another is focused on cultural fit, and a third is trying to sell the candidate on the company, you're not conducting a cohesive hiring process—you're running three separate, uncoordinated activities.

This misalignment leads to:

• Poor candidate experience - Inconsistent interviews feel disorganized and unprofessional
• Longer time-to-hire - Without clear criteria, decision-making becomes prolonged debate
• Higher mis-hire rates - Different evaluations make it harder to identify the right candidate
• Lost top talent - Strong candidates notice disorganization and question whether they want to work there

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The Cost of Getting Interviews Wrong

Interviews are the single most important touchpoint in your hiring process. They're where:

• Candidates form lasting impressions of your company
• You gather the most critical information about fit and capability
• Both parties decide whether to move forward

When interviews lack clear purpose and alignment, both sides leave uncertain. Candidates can't tell if they're truly wanted. Hiring teams can't confidently make decisions. The result? Prolonged processes, declined offers, and mis-hires.

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Getting Your Team Aligned on Interview Purpose

Before your next hiring round, gather your team and answer these questions together:

What are we actually trying to learn in interviews?

• Technical capability?
• Cultural alignment?
• Growth potential?
• Passion for the mission?
• All of the above—and in what priority?

What does success look like for this role?

• What will this person need to accomplish in their first 90 days?
• What challenges will they face?
• What skills and qualities are non-negotiable versus nice-to-have?

How will we evaluate candidates consistently?

• What specific criteria will each interviewer assess?
• What questions will reveal the information we need?
• How will we compare candidates fairly?

What experience do we want candidates to have?

• Are we selling them on the opportunity?
• Are we being transparent about challenges?
• Are we creating space for them to ask questions?

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The Birdeey Approach to Interview Alignment

At Birdeey, we believe misalignment isn't inevitable—it's avoidable.

That's why our core perspective is simple: hiring surprises no one wants.

We help hiring teams align on:

• The true purpose of each interview stage
• What each interviewer should evaluate
• Questions that uncover real insights
• Criteria for consistent decision-making

When your team shares a unified understanding of what you're looking for and why it matters, interviews become strategic conversations that lead to confident hiring decisions.

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Moving From Subjective to Strategic

The difference between good and great hiring often comes down to alignment.

When everyone on your hiring team understands:

• What you're evaluating and why
• What success looks like in the role
• How to assess candidates consistently
• What experience you want candidates to have

Then interviews become considered, thoughtful, and authentic—for both the candidate and your team.

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The Bottom Line

Before you conduct your next interview, ask yourself: Does my entire hiring team agree on what we're trying to accomplish?

If the answer is anything less than a clear yes, you're setting yourself up for inconsistent evaluations, prolonged decisions, and potentially costly mis-hires.

Taking time to align your team on interview purpose isn't adding bureaucracy to your process—it's laying the foundation for hiring success.