The interview process is not only about interviewing prospective employees for your business, but it is also about these individuals assessing if your business is the right fit for them. When the market is tight and the pool of prospects is limited this is an especially important concept to remember. The strongest candidates interview with multiple companies, looking for the best opportunity. Following some best practice guidelines for the interview process will help your company stand out from your competition. It may also add the incentive for a quality candidate to choose you.
Know what you need! Remember – you can train for skills but not attitude. For example, if the position you are trying to fill requires predominantly customer interaction, attitude may be more important than a specific set of technical skills. Of course it is important to include the basic tasks, especially if a particular requirement is necessary (e.g. educational requirements, certifications, computer system knowledge, etc.). Remember that a good fit is about more than a checklist of skills. “Companies are hiring people with the right traits and motivations who can be trained on-the-job for professions from software coding to customer service…more often than in the past, these employers are becoming less adamant about hiring only college graduates and are evaluating people on their ability to perform in the future.”[1]
Make sure whoever is conducting the interview is prepared! Training the interviewer is a critical but often overlooked part of the interview process. Interviewers need to know the legal guidelines for interview questions, as well as best practice interview techniques. They should also be able to clearly represent and articulate the company brand. Why does it matter? Because you want to leave a great impression! The interview process offers the candidate an eye into your business and how it functions. Conducting a well-organized and responsive interview process gives them insight into why working for you would be a positive experience.
Having trouble finding good candidates? Review your advertising tactics. Quality hires can be missed if the scope of the search is too narrow. Advertise the benefits of working for you, not simply job specifics. Also, depending on the applicant’s tenure in the workforce, they may not understand all of the benefits your company offers. For example, Baby Boomers report health insurance as the most important work benefit, but Millennials are more likely to look at paid time off as the most important. A Deloitte survey of Millennials showed they are less interested in – and knowledgeable about – their workplace benefits.[2]
The hiring process isn’t always as straight-forward as it seems. Let All Points Advising, LLC help you create a hiring plan to meet your company’s HR goals. Interviewing support can also be provided. Once you find the right fit, attention needs to be on keeping those great employees! Stay tuned for new hire on-boarding tips in my next blog.
[1] Maurer, Roy. 2/1/16. “5 Recruiting Trends for 2016.” SHRM Online Magazine.
[2] The Deloitte Millennial Survey 2016: Winning Over the Next Generation of Leaders. http://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/millennialsurvey.html
