Is your interview process putting candidates off?
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the power is no longer all in your hands.
Gone are the days when your interview process could consist of you grilling candidates and making them jump through a gazillion hoops.
We’re living through a candidate-driven market. That means there are a lot of businesses recruiting, just now, but without sufficient candidates of quality to fill the roles; and those candidates have the pick of the bunch, so you have to compete to attract the best talent.
Therefore, your interview process needs to be adapted to ensure you’re not losing out. Allow us to help you.
Put candidates at ease
You may think the traditional method of putting people under pressure to see how they cope is the best way to interview. However, this is seen as outdated and can come across badly. Candidates will remember how they feel in an interview, and if they spend the whole time quaking in their boots, they’re unlikely to want to continue with the process.
You’re more likely to get the best from somebody if you have a conversation with them. Get to know them as a person. Ask them open questions to get them talking.
“Talk to me about your previous roles…”
“Tell me what you’re ideally looking for in a position…”
“Why are you interested in this vacancy?”
That way, you’re still learning about them and assessing whether they’re right for you, but you’re also allowing them to relax and enjoy the interview. The more comfortable they are, the more you’ll learn and the likelier it is they’ll want to see you again!
Sell your opportunity
Every candidate you interview is likely to be meeting with multiple businesses. They’re looking for the one that ‘ticks their boxes’. That will be based on the environment and the team, as well as the opportunity you’re offering. So, tell them about all these things. Before you meet them, have a think about the reasons somebody should want to come and work for you, and prepare to wax lyrical about it.
Show them around your offices and let them meet the team. It’s important they get a good feel for the environment, rather than just the inside of the boardroom!
Keep your process short and simple
At the moment, candidates are getting snapped up quicker than you can say “second interview”. You need to keep your process as short as possible, so you don’t miss out. Ideally, you should keep to two stages as a maximum, and the time between those stages needs to be kept to a minimum.
If you want to include a task or a presentation, think about whether the skillsets you’re assessing are required in the role. There’s no point putting them through a presentation if this isn’t something they’d need to do for you. If you do want to include a task, try to put that in between the first and second interview, or in the second interview itself – that way, you’re not prolonging the process.
If you keep your process short and sweet, put people at ease and sell them your opportunity, you should keep candidates interested throughout the process. Hopefully, this will mean your ideal candidate will accept that all-important offer!
If you’re ready to get the most from your interview process, let us help you to find your perfect interviewees! Email us at info@synergyrecruit.co.uk or call 01625 509182 today!
