The interview stage is one of the most important parts of the recruitment process. This is the moment that you get a candidate face-to-face, and you need to be prepared just as much as they do. Here are some pieces of interview advice that we think all recruiters should follow.
Do the interview prep
You can’t just walk in and expect to wing the interview. Would you be impressed if a candidate did so? Of course not, and they won’t be impressed by an interviewer who seems to be improvising too.
A recruiter needs to make sure that they have a clear understanding of the position that they are hiring for, and how the candidate would fit into the wider company. They need to make sure that they have reviewed the candidate’s documents and credentials so they know the questions that they want to ask the interviewee. If there is to be a task or assessment as part of the interview, this needs to be pre-prepared too.
Pre-empt candidate questions
Every candidate should have questions that they wish to ask about the role. The recruiter should be able to answer these accurately and confidently no matter what. Though it is impossible to know precisely what a candidate might ask, there are some areas where you can pre-emptively guess what the questions might be.
Common questions often cover factors like wages, an average day in the office, and what the company uses for metrics for success. These are all things that a candidate could ask about, so a good recruiter needs to make sure that they are prepared to pass on these points.
Start the interview as soon as the candidate enters
It is an old trick, but a good one. If the candidate will have to pass by a reception desk or have some other interactions before they reach the recruitment panel, ask these people to keep an eye on them.
Despite it being quite a well-known trick, many candidates still slip up here. They will become a completely different person when they step into the interview itself, but act more like themselves in front of others. If they treat other members of staff poorly, it is better to find out here rather than further down the line.
Deliver good feedback
All candidates love feedback and they will value a recruiter who is open with them. Whether you intend to take a candidate forward in the recruitment process or not, you should offer them feedback.
Those who were not successful will be able to take it forward and apply it to future interviews. Or those candidates you want to hire, it will help you establish a rapport with them. A good level of communication between the two parties might be key in helping them accept your job offer.
These are some pieces of advice that all recruiters need to follow. If you are searching for more advice about the recruitment process, or you have a recruitment job advertisement you want to post, get in touch with Recruiting Talent today.