Boring, uninspiring interviewing
27/06/2023
Boring, uninspiring interviewing
Boring, uninspiring interviewing kills candidate engagement
You must stand out if you want to attract talent, first impressions really do count and in a candidate and talent short market don’t spoil your chances of attracting the best by adopting an uninspiring interview process.
It’s a tough, candidate short market for talent - so, when you are fortunate enough to have someone come through the door who ‘sparkles’ you need to make sure they are still ‘sparkling’ when they leave! You must inform, engage and inspire. It’s a 2 way marketplace, the candidate has to ‘want’ to work for you and the business you represent, it’s not JUST your decision.
The job interview is a two-way street, and that matters for several reasons:
First, although managers typically regard the interview process as their opportunity to select from among several candidates, they forget that the best candidates are also selecting from among several options. If the candidates are employed, they can remain in their current positions. High-demand candidates get approached periodically, and so are comparing several opportunities to yours, including offers they have already declined. Even in transition between jobs, candidates have the option to keep looking.
Second, the onboarding process of a new employee begins long before they actually joins the payroll. Job interviews are a time to set expectations, inform a candidate of where the organisation is going, the career opportunities ahead, employee success stories, resources available to new recruits, and plan the early days of the job. This information can make the difference between your offer and your competitors’.
Third, you are marketing your organisation at all times, including every job interview.
Finally, an interview process that reflects your values highlights potential conflicts between your personality and that of the candidate. You might be great at projecting a tough, competitive, and individual style, thinking you draw more out of a candidate, but if collaboration is critical to your work, what message are you sending? It’s so important to NOT recruit in your likeness. Remain objective and think about the requirements of the role.
As an employer think on these key points:
- Employers should prepare for interviews and take time to look at the candidates CV and linkedin profile prior to the interview.
- The make-up and structure of that interview must ensure they’re getting the very best from each candidate
- The interview process needs to showcase candidates to the best of their ability
- Candidates MUST leave interviews feeling great
- How can you expect to get the best candidate if your interview process is uninspired and ill thought out?
Whether a candidate can do the job is easier to determine than whether they will do the job. The interview process has to determine both.
