With the current marketplace so short of real talent, making yourself an attractive end destination for live candidates is essential and what you portray at the interview is vital. At interview candidates will be rating you (and your business) against others that they have visited or worked within. From the moment they arrive, throughout their time with you and in the moments it takes for them to leave they will be judging you.
We’ve put together this guide based on feedback from candidates what they see, and more importantly what they look for.
Before Interview
- Make sure reception know they are coming and are ready to greet them
- Make sure (unless confidential) that the team know as well and are prepared to meet them
- Make sure you are ready! Sounds silly, but taking a call or anything that could delay you even by 10 mins could be critical
During Interview
Based on recent candidate registrations the reasons why they are looking to leave are:
- Management Style (clashes with those above)
- Opportunities for development/promotion (and support in current role)
- Mismatched team dynamics (co-worker gripes)
- No reward systems for success (with-held bonuses, moving goal posts)
- Pay, Rewards and Benefits
Strangely in that order! You as the hiring / recruiting manager have a golden opportunity to show how you are different. Ask yourself this, when was the last time you thought about the candidate’s reasons for looking to leave their current employer and tailored your interview to cover these off? You’d be surprised with the difference it can make.
Meeting your team, (see above) can cover off point 3 Mismatched team dynamics, if the interview is going well, suggest it, this shows you have nothing to hide. A successful candidate may want to meet the team before they start, why not do it now? Your team can always provide valuable feedback.
After Interview
Walk the candidate out! Saying goodbye at the door of your office allows the candidate to walk through the business, and you can’t control what they might see or hear!! Also, a friendly chat as you walk makes you an approachable manager, not one who shuts the door behind you.
Tell them when they will hear by – and stick to it. Even the keenest candidate can lose interest if they don’t hear soon.
Give ‘proper’ feedback. Whether it’s a yes or a no, the candidate will want to know why. They will also note that you took the interview as seriously as them.
There is no foolproof way of getting the candidate you want, especially in today’s marketplace, but these steps along with your honest interview will help massively.