The Interview "Funnel"
- Andy Mowat
- Aug 31
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 2
Once you find and get connected to a role, the process shifts from sourcing to interviewing. Think of interviews as a mutual qualification funnel—much like sales.
Inbound vs. Outbound Opportunities (Lead Source)
The way you handle different opportunities varies slightly depending on how you found them
Inbound (they called you): Be open to exploring—even if the role is outside your sweet spot. You’ll gain practice, build recruiter relationships, and may discover hidden opportunities.
Outbound (you applied or networked in): Stay disciplined. Don’t waste your network or credibility chasing roles you wouldn’t accept. Always keep time blocked for proactive networking and sourcing.
Recruiter Call (Qualification)
Many execs skip recruiter calls if the role feels off, but you should almost always take them. Why?
Learn more—your assumptions may be wrong.
Build a relationship with the recruiter.
Shape the role—great candidates can often expand or uplevel it.
“You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.” Wayne Gretzky
On the screening call with a recruiter, come prepared with:
Your Talk Track
Initial Diligence questions. Here are additional questions targeted for this stage:
What is the DNA of the company (engineering, product, sales/marketing)?
Why is the role being opened?
Is the role a backfill or a new role?
What is working with the team right now vs. what problems are you looking to solve?
Where is the process?
Hiring Manager Call (Discovery)
Who you work for matters most. This conversation sets the tone for both evaluation and relationship-building. Hiring managers flag their top choices early so make sure you are at the top of their list. Don’t just answer questions - create a two-way dialogue.
"If we can get into a business conversation that is excellent. If you are consistently waiting for the next question from me, that isn't good." Mike Weir (on "How I Hire" Podcast)
Remember, you are also evaluating your hiring manager here so don’t just sit back and let them evaluate you. One way to engage them and create this dialog is to bring questions and take control over the interview (subtly).
You should always be prepared with questions. Most hiring managers leave room for you to ask questions and if you have none it is a big red flag for most as it highlights a lack of intellectual curiosity and engagement in the process.
"Don't ever ask the CEO 'What keeps you up at night?' That means you literally did no homework for this interview and you are asking the most generic question you can ask to a leader". Nick Mehta (see terrific podcast with Nick on careers and interviewing)
When you are finished with the interview with your potential hiring manager, make sure to follow up professionally but also have fun and show your personality to engage them on a personal level as well.
If you don’t feel the fit at this stage / don’t want to work with the hiring manager, this is a good place to pull out as the next stages of the interview will require a lot more research / time. It can be difficult to turn down a role if you don’t have others in the pipeline but here are some good questions to ask yourself to make sure you aren’t chasing opportunities that have no chance of closing:
Am i doing this because it feels good?
Am i doing this because it i like to be busy?
Am i doing this because it is nice to be wanted by someone?
🛑 If you are in a role this is a great stage to stop and think if you want to go deeper. Often companies will start back-channeling you at this point (although they really should wait until later in process) so be thoughtful about both the time committment and the risk of your company learning. See our playbook on searching while in a role for more insights |
Interview Panel (Validation)
If you reach the panel, the hiring manager is sold—now the team weighs in.
Expect each panelist to focus on a different dimension (functional expertise, collaboration, leadership style). Answer directly and adapt to each interviewer’s lens.
Case studies often appear here (we’ll share a detailed playbook soon).
Afterward, the panel + recruiter + hiring manager debrief on your fit.
After the panel round (and each round of interviews)
Follow up fast with thank-you notes
Recruiters will check in if you’re a top candidate, often asking how your conversations went. Have a positive, prepared takeaway for each person (e.g., one thing you learned)
“Companies use each touchpoint to evaluate culture fit. They work to build rapport outside of the formal process and are looking to understand 'Is the person we are interviewing the same person who will show up the first day?” In-House Recruiting Leader
Executive Interviews (Procurement)
If you’re meeting the C-Suite or hiring manager’s boss, you’re likely a finalist. The hiring manager takes input from these people seriously and (like procurement or legal) they can derail a candidate. So invest a lot of prep time here.
Executive presence and strategic thinking are non-negotiable.
Culture fit is under the microscope—do your homework on what the company values.
Offer Stage (Signature)
Once the offer arrives, the dynamic flips: you’re evaluating them.
Hold deeper questions until now; earlier they can seem needy.
Use this stage to meet additional stakeholders and pressure-test your fit.
See our playbooks on evaluating an opportunity, offer stage considerations and compensation negotiation
Other Funnel Strategies
Follow-up Notes
You should send quick follow-up notes after each interview.
Make them succinct and positive
Send them within 12 hours
Convey your enthusiasm for the role, summarize key point(s) discussed
Followups rarely win you the role but not sending them can lose you the role by:
Not conveying enthusiasm
Some interviewers see not sending notes as a red flag but you never know which ones:)
Don't over think these but do send them
Get into the process early
Always get into the process as early as you can. There is no benefit waiting until they've seen a few candidates:
Applications are sorted in ATS by date of application. Early on recruiters have a broader filter and they narrow it over time as they refine the criteria with the hiring manager
Hiring managers don't always batch candidates so if they are impressed with one early they may not wait for all candidates to reach the same stage.
Advocacy (Pipeline Acceleration)
Peers vouching for you can tilt the process, but timing matters.
Advocacy is best used before or just after the hiring manager call.
Before: “I heard you’re speaking with X—I worked with them on Y and they were excellent.”
After: “I heard you just met X—I loved working with them on Z.”
Keep advocacy specific and authentic. Generic advocacy reads as noise.
Once you reach the panel stage, additional advocacy can backfire as over-eager.
Dragged-out process (Stalled Deal)
Sometimes you will see interview processes drag out:
Adding extra interviewees
Adding additional projects
Lack of responsiveness
This can mean any of the following:
They are changing how they think about the role
They are not aligned on the role
They lack conviction on you
A great approach here is to acknowledge the situation and ask the recruiter (or even better, your prospective hiring manager). For example “I’d love to keep momentum here. Is there anything more you need from me, or is the role evolving?”
References (Customer References)
Just like most B2B buyers won’t purchase without talking to other customers who have used your product before, hiring managers should always speak to your references before extending an offer. The good hiring managers use this as an opportunity to both:
Verify the narrative you have shared
Learn how to work well with you
References are one of the most important signals in hiring and you should be thoughtful about how to curate them and be prepared for both formal and back-door references.
Conclusion
Treat interviews as a two-way sales process. Just like sales, the best searches end with mutual conviction—you’re the right hire, and they’re the right company.
