Locking down an interview is hard enough; wouldn’t we all agree? Either one of two things usually occur:
1.) You apply for the job independently, follow up and follow up, and by golly, someone shockingly responds to you and wants to set up an interview!
2.) You are working with a recruiter that has done everything in their power to present you in the best light, talk you up, coordinate schedules, and land you that moment you’ve been hoping for.
At this point, more than likely you have an idea about the company, what they do, and more importantly, what you’d be doing for them. And you’re probably excited about the opportunity, right? You’ve updated your resume, you’re confident about sharing your experience; ready and equipped to sell your assets, your value, and what you can bring to the table. You got this!
But what happens when you walk into the interview and you come to find out that in a nutshell….the company can’t even sell themselves.
This happens far too often:
A company blows it with a candidate.
We’re living in a day and age where the ball is the in the candidate’s court. Employees aren’t “lucky to have a job” anymore; they are smart and meticulous about where they want to settle down, because they have that luxury.
In short: Candidates are interviewing YOU.
So how are companies blowing it?
I think the most common trend that happens during an interview process, on the company side, is arrogance and selfishness.
“Well, they want to work with US right? Then they must prove that they are worthy mwahaha. They’re coming to us after all.”
Well yah. But keep in mind…quality candidates that fit your specific needs and culture are few and far between my friend (and almost ALWAYS employed). What you don’t want to happen is to turn them off by something you do or say, ultimately building a bad reputation as an employer. Some examples could be:
- Being late to the interview
- Being distracted or not engaged in the conversation
- Asking questions just to “stump” the candidate or provide them with meaningless assessments
- Only focusing on what they have to offer YOU
- Ghosting candidates after the interview
- Conducting the interview as an “interrogation” rather than a conversation
- Having the wrong person/people interview the candidate
- Just reading down someone’s resume without having a dialogue
Here’s some things you need to keep in mind when interviewing:
- Clearly define what the position entails
- Share the growth potential and what they can expect long-term
- Candidly explain your culture and daily environment
- Find out what they are truly looking for in their next role
- Be present and give them your attention
- Make them feel welcome
Put yourself in the candidate’s shoes. Whether they’ve done their own research on the company or have received insights from their recruiter, they are taking time out of their day to meet with you and see if it is a mutual fit. Treat them how you’d like to be treated in an interview. Simple as that. Remember you are BOTH going in for an interview.
It’s disappointing when talking to candidates who had high hopes for the role and come back from the interview feeling like they weren’t even given the time of day, the interviewer was acting weird, or they just overall had a negative experience. Even if the job wasn’t a perfect fit, no one should feel uncomfortable or ignored during an interview.
Hiring managers, take a moment and evaluate how you approach your interview process.
Are you having trouble with candidates accepting offers?
Is it becoming more difficult to schedule interviews?
Keep in mind that at the end of the day, you want to make everyone that walks into your office feel welcome, comfortable, and valued. Because ultimately, if you decide to hire them, that positive experience will stay with them longer than you realize and your reputation as an employer will only skyrocket.
