Your goal is to bring the candidate and the client together in a situation where one is looking for a job opportunity, and the other, for the missing piece in their company puzzle. With both sides having their own expectations, how do you inspire them to start the new chapter in unison? The answer – you organize a round of human interaction also known as an interview which helps the candidate and client understand if the job opportunity is truly the perfect match.
All recruiters across industries have their own ways to conduct interviews but at G&M we believe in keeping up with the following guidelines.
Do your research.
Firstly, as a recruiter, you want to be absolutely and most definitely sure about understanding the job requirements. Not only does it make the candidate search more effective but also saves you time and reduces the possibility of contacting the wrong people.
Once you’ve made sure there is a potential match between the job and the candidate, have the candidate’s profile in front of you, give attention to details and look through their CV, portfolios and websites, always questioning along the way. What helped them to achieve internal promotions? Why do they have a period without work(if so)? What motivated them to stay with the company for x amount of years? Etc.
Forget first impression biases.
As humans, we are wired to make assumptions when we first meet the person, however, luckily, we are also able to correct those judgements. All we need to do is to be aware of own assumption filters and
consciously “reset” them. To be objective throughout the interview process, keep in mind the following biases:
False Consensus Effect – assuming people feel, think and behave similarly the way we do. As candidates have different background and work ethics, the interview is the right place to really understand their approaches.
Halo effect – believing that interviewees who possess one positive quality also have many others. Make sure you ask all the questions you intended to and really listen to the answers with care.
Confirmation bias – called also as “cognitive dissonance” by behavioural psychologist B.F. Skinner, leads us to agree with people who agree with us, find confirmations to pre-existing expectations and at the same time ignore signs that contradict our views. In essence, you see what you want to see and in recruitment this is a dangerous mindset.*
If you control your judgements, it means there is more space for a truly meaningful conversation.
Which leads us to:
Be present in the conversation.
A job interview is an exchange of ideas. The interviewee and interviewer have a mutual goal to understand whether the specific job fits in with the goals of participating stakeholders – the employer and potential employee. A prepared list of interview questions is necessary but use them merely as guidelines not as a script to avoid coming across as robotic. To make sure there is perfect understanding of expectations, don’t be afraid to ask more in depth about the candidate’s knowledge and what they can improve at the company. When listening to their journey, asking follow-up questions reveal so much more information that could otherwise have been left out.
Act as an ambassador of the company.
While looking for a job, it is easy to get confused with the overflow of information about companies and their employer marketing. In combination of potentially having to make a life change, the job search can make people very careful. Career consultants deal with anxiety by explaining everything clearly and showing the most detailed descriptions of the potential path awaiting them. Be ready to answer questions about the company culture, the relocation packages, team structure, future possibilities and so on. Not only does it show your expertise but also gives the candidate assurance in making the best possible decision.
As a recruiter, you have an important responsibility to be the intermediary between the candidate and the client. Based on your people skills and recruitment decisions, the candidates may or may not have a chance at the job. For this reason, you always want to make the most well-informed decisions. Following these guidelines brings us to focus on what’s really important – finding the most qualified candidate for a job. Your clients and candidates will appreciate you making their time worth going through the process!