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Partnering with SME companies throughout East Anglia, Michelle Denny Recruitment is a recruitment agency which specialises in personalised recruitment consultancy services in Norfolk and Suffolk to help you discover that elusive new member of staff at a budget that suits you.

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With different campaign options to meet your requirements and innovative marketing strategies to captivate worthy candidates, we'll present you with a refreshing, no-fuss approach to recruitment. Whether you need a comprehensive recruitment drive with full support, or a simple campaign to find you candidates to review in-house, we'll work with you as an extension of your team, to understand your business and the people within it. 

Clients

THIS WAY TO HIRE

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We'll introduce you to companies with job opportunities across Norfolk, Suffolk and beyond that share your values and understand your career aspirations so you can feel confident in your job search. With guidance, support, constructive feedback and consistent communication as standard throughout our approach, Michelle Denny Recruitment Consultancy looks beyond your CV to discover what makes you, you!

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With a clear direction, straightforward application process and ongoing recommendations, we’ll provide you with the ultimate match-making service to help you find the right job, in the right company, with the right team. Learn more, view our current vacancies and upload your CV to register for upcoming roles too.

Candidates

THIS WAY TO A NEW JOB

The Interview Isn’t an Automated Test – It’s a Two-Way Conversation

  • Michelle Denny
  • Oct 27
  • 2 min read

Updated: Oct 28

Halfway through the interview, she thought, 'I think I’m being interviewed by ChatGPT.'


Somewhere along the way, interviews turned into interrogations. And we forgot they’re supposed to be conversations.


How it feels on both sides


We’ve all been there. For candidates, the nerves take over – you rehearse your lines, shake hands, and hope your voice doesn’t wobble.


For hiring managers, it’s back-to-back meetings, same questions, same answers, trying to spot the right fit between Teams calls.


It’s no wonder so many interviews feel flat.


A robot interviewing a human

When interviews stop working


When the format’s one-sided, no one wins. Candidates hold back. Employers miss the spark that makes someone stand out.


You can’t spot potential in a checklist exercise – you find it in conversation.


The best interviews don’t hunt for flaws, they explore fit.


How to rethink the interview


A good interview should feel like curiosity, not control.


  • Employers: swap the quick-fire Q&A for a chat that explores values, ideas and ways of working.

  • Candidates: ask questions that reveal the culture, not just the job spec.

  • Everyone: listen more than you speak.


That’s how you get beyond the CV and into real connection.


A few small shifts make a big difference


Interviews don’t need a major overhaul to feel more like conversations. Tiny tweaks can change the whole dynamic:


  • Swap rapid-fire questions for ones that spark real stories

  • Use genuine role scenarios instead of generic competency lines

  • Share what success looks like in the first three months

  • Ask, “What would help you do your best work here?”


These simple changes build trust quickly and help both sides see the real picture.


What better interviews look like


The best interviews feel like two people exploring whether they’d enjoy working together.They’re open. Straightforward. And focused on what really matters.


  • Employers share what the job is actually like, good bits and challenges

  • Candidates talk about what helps them do their best work

  • Both sides check for shared values and expectations


It’s less scripted, more curious and much more likely to lead to a great hire.


The takeaway


The best interviews aren’t performances – they’re partnerships.


When both sides show up curious, open and human, that’s where the real fit is found.

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