How to Conduct Job Interviews as a Small Business

Before the interview: prep that saves time

The work you do before the interview determines the quality of information you get during it. Most SMB interview failures happen in the preparation phase, not in the room.

• Read the resume before the interview, not during it. Reading a resume during the interview signals disorganization to the candidate and wastes the first five minutes of your time together. Review it the night before or first thing that morning. Highlight two or three specific items you want to probe — a gap, a notable achievement, a transition that seems abrupt.
• Prepare five to seven consistent questions for all candidates. Using the same core question set for every candidate is what “structured” means. It makes your process legally defensible and lets you compare answers fairly. You can add one or two role-specific probes based on individual resumes, but the core set must be identical.
• Book a private space. Interviewing in the middle of your open office or at a coffee shop table is fine for an informal chat, not for a job interview. The candidate needs to speak candidly. If you're interviewing remotely, a quiet background and a reliable video call setup is the minimum. Test your connection beforehand.
• Have a scoring rubric. Before the interview, define what a strong, acceptable, and weak answer looks like for each question. A simple 1–3 or 1–5 scale per question is enough. Completing the rubric immediately after each interview (not at the end of the day) prevents memory decay and interviewer bias from bleeding between candidates.

Interview structure that works for SMBs

A 45–60 minute interview is the right length for most roles. Shorter interviews don't give you enough signal; longer ones generate diminishing returns and fatigue both parties. Here is a structure that works consistently for small business hiring:

• Minutes 1–5: Introduction and role overview. Briefly introduce yourself and the company (2 sentences each). Explain what you're looking to accomplish in the conversation. Give a 60-second overview of the role so the candidate can frame their answers accordingly. This sets the tone and shows respect for their preparation.
• Minutes 5–35: Core questions. This is the main block. Aim for 60% behavioural questions (“Tell me about a time when…”) and 40% situational questions (“If you were faced with…”). Behavioural questions reveal what the candidate has actually done; situational questions reveal how they think. Take brief notes during this section — candidates expect it and it signals that their answers matter.
• Minutes 35–45: Candidate questions. Reserve meaningful time for the candidate to ask questions. Good candidates come prepared; how they use this time tells you a lot about their research and priorities. Avoid rushing this section — cutting it short signals that you don't value their perspective.
• Minutes 45–50: Next steps. Be specific: tell them what happens next, who makes the decision, and when they can expect to hear from you. Vague timelines create unnecessary anxiety and damage your employer brand among candidates who don't get the role.

Behavioural questions that reveal the most

Behavioural interview questions are built on the premise that past behaviour predicts future performance better than hypotheticals. They follow a consistent format: “Tell me about a time when you…” The answer reveals what the candidate has actually done, not what they think they'd do in theory.

The STAR format — Situation, Task, Action, Result — is the standard coaching framework for answering these questions. As an interviewer, prompt for the Result if the candidate omits it: “What was the outcome?” or “How did it turn out?” are neutral follow-ups that get you the signal you need.

The specificity distinction matters enormously. Compare these two questions:

• “How do you handle difficult customers?” — This is a hypothetical. The candidate can give you a polished theoretical answer with no grounding in reality.
• “Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult customer. What happened and how did you handle it?” — This forces a specific story. Weak candidates give vague, general stories. Strong candidates give specific stories with a clear outcome they can own.

Strong behavioural questions for most SMB roles:

• Tell me about a time you had to manage competing priorities. What happened?
• Describe a mistake you made at work. What did you do when you realized it?
• Tell me about a time you had to adapt quickly to a significant change. How did you approach it?
• Give me an example of a time you went above and beyond what was expected of you.
• Tell me about a time you had to work with someone whose style was very different from yours.

What you legally cannot ask in a Canada job interview

Ontario's Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination in hiring on 17 protected grounds. Asking questions — even indirectly — that could reveal information on these grounds creates legal exposure. The following are prohibited in Ontario job interviews, along with the acceptable equivalent where one exists:

• Age: Do not ask “When did you graduate?” (age-inferring) or “How many years do you have left before retirement?” You may ask: “Do you meet the minimum age requirement for this role?” if a minimum age is a legal requirement.
• Race, ancestry, or place of origin: Do not ask where a candidate is from, about their accent, or about the country where they were born. You may ask: “Are you legally authorized to work in Canada?”
• Religion: Do not ask about religious observance, worship schedules, or dietary requirements tied to faith. You may ask: “This role requires availability on Saturdays and Sundays — is that something you can commit to?”
• Marital or family status: Do not ask if someone is married, single, has children, or plans to have children. You may ask: “This role involves occasional travel. Is that something you can accommodate?”
• Disability: Do not ask about health conditions, physical limitations, or medications. You may describe the physical requirements of the role and ask: “Are you able to perform the physical requirements of this position, with or without reasonable accommodation?”
• Gender identity or sexual orientation: Do not ask about either. There is no acceptable equivalent question that touches these grounds for interview purposes.

If a candidate volunteers information on a protected ground (e.g., mentioning a health condition unprompted), do not record it and do not use it in your decision. Redirect back to role-related questions.

For the full question set see our guide to interview questions to ask candidates in Canada.

After the interview: evaluating candidates consistently

The period immediately after the interview is when bias is most active. Recency effects, halo effects, and gut-feel overrides all peak in the first 30 minutes post-interview. A structured evaluation process counteracts this.

• Complete your scoring rubric within 30 minutes. Do not wait until the end of the interview day. Memory of specific answers decays quickly, and later candidates colour your memory of earlier ones. Score each question independently before arriving at an overall assessment.
• Discuss with a second person if possible. Even a 10-minute debrief with a business partner or senior team member significantly reduces individual bias. Ask them for their score before sharing yours to avoid anchoring.
• Keep your notes. In Ontario, candidates have one year to file a Human Rights Tribunal complaint from the date of the hiring decision. Your interview notes, scoring sheets, and correspondence are your documentary defence if that happens. Store them securely and retain them for at least one year.
• Send rejection communications within five business days. Candidates who don't hear back become detractors. A brief, warm rejection email within five days protects your employer brand. Keep it non-committal on specifics: “We've moved forward with another candidate whose experience more closely matches what we need right now.”

For guidance on screening candidates before they reach the interview stage, see our guide on how to screen job applicants in Canada.

Frequently asked questions