It's a fast-paced candidate-driven marketplace at the moment and getting the right talent on board at the right time is crucial.
Here are some ways to ensure the interview process you're running is engaging, memorable and a good reflection of both you and your company.
... generic questions get generic answers and you should be pushing for authenticity.
1. Be Human
There’s nothing worse than a seemingly endless machine gun-style competency-based interview.
If you’re using a recruiter, and have had a briefing call with that agency at the beginning of the hiring process, they will have made sure this candidate ticks enough boxes to merit and introduction.
It should mean you can start on a ‘warm’ footing without having to explore ‘a time when’ the candidate showed leadership during an U15 football match in the distant past or ‘an example of’ when they were kept a cool head during a fire drill.
You and the candidate have both climbed Kilimanjaro. You both support the same football team. You both play Ultimate Frisbee.
These shared conversations that occur ‘off spec’ won’t only help to build real rapport but they’ll give you a better insight into a candidate’s approach to life.
2. Themes, Not Scripts.
Take the job spec you’ve written and identify which parts are most crucial.
With that done, outline what you’d like to get from the interview from the outset.
Robotically sticking to a dozen prescribed questions won’t get you anywhere, especially if the candidate is actively looking for a next step – they’ll have their polished answers ready and will recycle them from other jobs they’ve gone for recently with interviewers who aren’t as good as you!
Instead, distil your enquiry down into 3-4 key themes that are essential for this role and probe those.
You’ll make the interview feel different, natural and more memorable.
You’re still there to challenge the candidate but generic questions get generic answers and you should be pushing for authenticity.
3. Be Honest
If they haven’t made it through this stage then you can always let candidates know – don’t stand on ceremony and wait for your recruiter to let them down.
This saves time and comes across as more genuine too.
‘Do you know what, I love your energy and genuinely appreciate you doing the prep that you’ve done. I think one big prerequisite for this role is X and I don’t think it’s something you’ve gained enough experience in just yet. I’d fear you may not hit the ground running with us. That said, you’re on the right path and it’s been a pleasure to meet you today. Hopefully, we’ll come across each other again in future’.
You’ve been upfront and open – something most candidates don’t get as they’re palmed off with substandard feedback.
This honesty will enhance your company’s employer brand and ensure you’re viewed positively in what’s becoming an ever-smaller world.
See the last part of Tip 5. if you’d prefer a recruiter to do this part though!
4. Be Open
Candidates nowadays tend to come armed with plenty of questions when interviewing.
Be prepared to answer questions about team structure, yourself and why you joined your company, your plans for the team, company-wide culture etc.
Often, a candidate has engaged in the interview process based on a tap on the shoulder from a recruiter and a quick once over of a job spec.
If you can add some colour then you have the opportunity to cement a candidate’s interest even at the earliest of interview stages.
Side note - personally speaking, if a candidate is asking about salary and even working habits at the early stages of a process it does throw up some red flags. Those conversations are for later and should have been handled up front if you’ve hired a recruiter.
5. Pace
If the candidate does well, suggest they contact HR/your recruiter with some availability for a next stage interview.
Candidates will love this proactivity and it’ll suggest your business also runs with the same energy and pace.
If they don’t quite make the grade, tell them when you’ll be feeding back – you can either do this yourself or via a recruiter, but honour that timeframe.
So many candidates feel negative about businesses because they weren’t given any feedback from the time they took out of their day to meet interviewers.
Even if they totally dropped the ball – and it happens – tell the recruiter so. Their job involves rejection on a daily basis so even the worst feedback can be turned into something constructive that will protect your employer brand.
If you’re hiring and want to drive a successful interview process, contact POET here for any advice – having worked with some of the brightest talent and best FMCG companies, we’d be happy to help you.
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