Interview Reputation
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September 10, 2013
- Posted by: Chaloner
Employers – interviews are more than just a way to pick the best candidate.
I’ve been in the recruiting industry for more than a decade, and I’ve seen many different approaches to interviewing candidates. Some clients have a highly organized, almost clinical approach to vetting candidates. Others are very informal and organic.
Since all of the candidates you interview will leave with an opinion of your company, wouldn’t it be a good idea to make sure that all of the candidates – including the ones you don’t hire – have a good experience? We have clients who really know how to interview well. In many cases, we find lots of credit goes to the HR professionals in those companies.
Here are 5 things you can do to make sure that your interview reputation is stellar.
1. A few days before the interview, send the candidate an interview preparation email. Confirm where, when and with whom they will be meeting. Include parking or public transportation information.
2. Prepare each interviewer beforehand. Make sure each has looked at the candidate’s resume and the job description, and know a bit about the candidate before the meeting.
3. If this is a more senior position and there will be multiple rounds of interviews, give the interviewers specific questions to ask. Make sure the interviewee isn’t asked the same questions over and over.
4. Coordinate so that all interviewers are sharing a consistent message about the process. Conflicting information always leaves a bad impression.
5. Last but not least, make sure the candidate is escorted from meeting to meeting and, at the end of the day, is escorted out by someone and thanked for his or her time. It’s a small thing, but leaves a lasting positive impression.
When these few recommendations become a regular practice, your interview reputation will be strong.
Chaloner, founded in 1979 as Chaloner Associates, is a national executive search firm that focuses on recruiting mid- to senior-level communications, public relations, marketing and investor relations professionals.