An interviewing experience can be stressful for everyone involved. The onus is on the candidate to impress the company with their industry knowledge, communication skills, capacity to think on their feet, and personality. On the flip side, the onus is on the company to demonstrate that they are professional, prepared, and value the candidate’s time.
It can be challenging for a company to design an interview process that is truly equitable and bias-free and build an interview team that is aligned and accurately represents the myriad interests of the organization. In this blog, we will explore the ingredients necessary to create a great interviewing experience that is of high value to both the candidate and the company.
Plan Ahead
Planning ahead is a crucial ingredient for ensuring a great interview experience. A strategic plan needs to be developed to provide both the candidate and the interview team with a clear understanding of how the engagement will play out over the course of their time together. Candidates need to know the agenda, logistics, sequence of meetings, names and titles of the people they are meeting with, the locations of meetings, etc. The plan must also be shared with all members of the internal team with sufficient lead time, so everyone is in sync and can adequately prepare.
No matter the outcome of the interview, having a solid plan is important because the interviewing experience is part of your company brand. If candidates are treated poorly during the interview process, it may convince them to decline a job offer if tendered. It will impact how they feel about your company and what they tell their peers about your organization. Conversely, if candidates are impressed with the interviewing process, it may influence their decision to join the team and become a company brand ambassador.
Alignment Around Goals
Once you’ve established a clear plan for the interviewing process, it’s critical to ensure that there is alignment around the goals and deliverables so that all company team members are communicating a similar message and measuring against the same criteria. Create a matrix, if necessary, that reflects consensus on these priorities. Understanding the company’s expectations and requirements empowers the candidate to better prepare for the interview. It also enables the interviewers to ask relevant questions aligned with the job requirements to glean the information necessary to determine if the candidate is the best person to fill the position.
Structure to Welcome Candidates
It is important to have a structure in place to welcome candidates when they arrive on site. Provide them with a point of contact for their visit so that if they need something during the day, they have someone to ask. Orient them to the locations of meetings, bathrooms, and food and beverage options. This ensures that the candidate is comfortable and feels supported throughout the entire interview process.
Interviewer Training
Finally, not all team members are experienced interviewers. Share information about the dos and don’ts of interviewing and offer training on the nuances of the craft. Providing training to team members will help ensure a more consistent and efficient interviewing experience, equipping them with the necessary skills to ask relevant questions aligned with the job requirements and company culture. Most importantly, skilled interviewers who are keenly aware of how to engage with candidates will increase the odds that the company doesn’t miss out on talented leaders.
Conclusion
Interviewing is a critical aspect of the hiring process, and it’s essential that the experience is positive for both the company and the candidate. If companies get the interviewing process wrong, they risk losing talented candidates and harming their brand. Having a clear strategic plan, alignment around goals, a structure to welcome candidates on site, and providing interviewer training are essential ingredients for creating a great interviewing experience. A positive experience will benefit both parties and could be the beginning of a lengthy and productive relationship.