Enhancing the Candidate Interview Experience

According to a recent RPO Association survey, 60% of applicants say the entire hiring process is “difficult/painful.” With companies ramping up their hiring plans, the competition for top talent will increase once more. Just as you are interviewing candidates to determine if they match your needs and corporate culture, those candidates are also measuring your leadership style and culture during this process. By putting some thought into the experience your candidates have as they interact with your organization during the hiring process, you will maximize the impression you make upon top candidates. Take a look at these steps of your process to see if there is room for improvements.

JOB POSTING: Is your job posting simply a copy of the job description, or creative thought into what they will really get to do as well as what will excite them? Postings that are simply a job description will give the impression you are either very formal or potentially a dull culture compared to some of the other posting descriptions available.

INITIAL RESPONSE TIME: How long does it take for you to reach out to a good candidate that applies? If you call candidates immediately it shows you are a quick moving, action based organization. Should you wait 2-3 weeks you have already given candidates the impression you are either only marginally interested in them, or you are a slow moving organization.

FIRST INTERVIEW: What is the experience a candidate has when they show up for the first interview? If the front desk greets them by name, acknowledges that they are looking forward to meeting them today and has needed paperwork neatly organized for them, then the candidate’s first impression of your company is one of warmth, friendliness and that everyone is important. If the initial greeting is one of bewilderment followed by a hunt for an application you will have set an initial impression that the candidate is not important.

SCRIPTED INTERVIEWS: Are your interviews a defined question set with no deviations? Potential candidates may view you and your organization as extremely formal and not value free flowing conversation or ideas.

NEGATIVE INTERVIEWS: Do you believe it is important to warn potential candidates of every potential negative experience they may encounter working for you? Everyone realizes that there are downsides and challenges with any organization, but focusing on them will only cause your top candidates to rush for the door and never want to look back.

EXTENDED INTERVIEW PROCESS: If weeks pass without a candidate hearing from you after an interview, or your interview process is more than 2-3 interviews, candidates will get the impression you are not interested in them, you are slow moving or that the position is not valued. Tell candidates in the interview when you will be back in touch with them. If your interview process is more than 2-3 (ideally 2) interviews, streamline the process so that you don’t lose top candidates to more nimble organizations.

LOW-BALL OFFERS: Is your first offer a low-ball offer? This will leave candidates with the impression that everything at your company will be a battle. Additionally, while you may think you have the time to negotiate up to what you are really willing to pay, you will likely lose out to another company that didn’t take a low-ball approach and offered your “real” salary at the start. By putting yourself in your candidate’s shoes and walking yourself through your process, you may find you are putting detrimental obstacles in the process.

By Jeff Taylor