Increase Success at Securing Your Candidate of Choice When Recruiting

Posted 25th Jun 2021

Imagine being asked out on a date only to find that the other person is taking your interest in them for granted and is assuming you’ll want to take things further. Sounds like an irritating experience really and if, for the purposes of this article, we use the dating experience as a comparison to help illustrate the challenges faced during the job seeking and interviewing one, then that scenario is seemingly not too far from truth at times.

Returning to that 'scenario' for a moment, but this time with you as the presumptuous party. Even if the other person really does like the look of you and what you have to offer on the face of it, and is looking for love as such, they may still deny you a second date in favour of another suiter that doesn't take matters for granted and works as hard as they do to nurture the potential union.

The thing here, of course, is that interviewing someone for your team, much like ‘dating’, is very much a two-way street, a date where both parties involved need to be mindful of the other's motivations and desires. I think many, if not most hirers, already appreciate this and do their best to act accordingly, but instances where it seems to be forgotten are also still common and these instances can lead to just a 'one night stand', when it could have gone on to be so much more.

So, what do you need to stay mindful of to give yourself the best chance of a securing the services of the talent (and yes, I’m talking purely in terms of recruiting and hiring now) you set out to attract?

The interview environment and setting

If in person, either on or off site, the meeting should, take place in a private office, meeting room or, if appropriate, public place. If using the latter though, a 'quiet corner' is obviously advisable to help the interviewee feel comfortable discussing themselves and the finer points of their professional offering, with strangers perhaps in earshot.

If via video though (and let’s face it most are now), quality of equipment and internet connection, background, body positioning, presentation and dress are all still of paramount importance in terms of clearly demonstrating respect for the interviewee...which they themselves should most certainly be conveying for you in return.
 
Prior interview preparation

Instances where this, on the side of the interviewer, has been somewhat inadequate are not that uncommon.

Your candidate should certainly come well prepared and so should you:

• Have a copy of the applicant's CV to hand.
• Pre-prepare questions tailored to that applicant if possible.
• Have a copy of the role's job specification (particularly if simultaneously recruiting for other posts) for reference.
• Formulate a clear idea of what you're looking for AND what you can offer in return in terms of culture, social interaction, working environment, job satisfaction, training, and career progression opportunities etc....in other words, why they should really want to join you and your team (more on this to follow)

 
Things to cover in the interview that your interviewee REALLY wants to hear about

Culture...

In recent years this has become a major consideration for people seeking a career move or new job. Job seekers want to hear, and quite possibly from multiple sources within your organisation for consistency purposes, what your company, department or office culture is.

To use the dating comparison again, are you compatible, do you share the same basic views in terms of how you like to work and what, other than the accompanying package, do you as a potential employer have to offer.

• How do you prefer to manage your team on a day-to-day basis and what is your 'style'...and will this fit with how they prefer to be managed and what is likely to consistently get the best possible performance from them?
• What are your on-going plans regarding home or remote working or is this already an ingrained part of the company culture?
• Is flexible working considered and if so, to what extent. How is this generally interpreted by the wider team on day-to-day basis.
• What is the working environment like from a social perspective...for example, an extrovert will likely struggle within a generally quiet and perhaps subdued atmosphere? Conversely, an introvert may falter within a raucous and playful setting.
• What social events (Coronavirus restrictions allowing of course), do you hold and when.
• What do successful people within your business look like...If your most successful people were brought together, what would they have in common (particularly ambitious candidates will be interested in this).
• What makes your company a good one to work for?
• What challenges may you be facing as a business and how are you addressing these. If you are facing challenges (many now are because of the pandemic), your interviewee may well already be aware of it due to their research and so be ready to comment on this positively if possible.
• ...and what about you...what keeps you working there (personal stories can be very effective for building interest further)

The first 6 months…

• What would you expect from the successful applicant during the first 3 - 6 months...what would a successful probation period look like in your eyes?

Training...

• What training and further development opportunities do you offer and that will be available specifically to them.
• What are the qualifying criteria, if any, for these opportunities?
• What are the timeframes involved?

The package... 

• Detail the specific salary and associated package available. Employers in general are offering more and more comprehensive benefits packages and, salary aside, their importance and attractiveness shouldn’t be underestimated at this stage.
• What opportunities might there be in the short, medium, and even long term to increase this and what would they need to do first accordingly?

 
Momentum of the recruitment and hiring process

Momentum, or moreover lack of it, can often be a major contributor to the eventual loss of a candidate of choice.

Once you've received the CV, either directly from the applicant or via a recruiter, it's important to get moving promptly if possible and then keep moving accordingly.

• Feedback on the CV and get the first interview diarised for as soon as possible and be as flexible as possible regarding times. 
• Feedback following the first interview and, if part of your process, get the next interview at least diarised within 48 - 72 hours and to then take place within 7 days (a 'gap' of more than this can often lead to 'cooling off', waning interest and a greater chance of a competitor swooping in and 'sweeping your candidate off their feet' before you do).
• Ideally, make your offer of employment within 24 hours of the final stage interview. This is when your candidate will be at their most expectant and anxious in terms of 'did they or didn't they' get the job.
• If making a verbal offer initially, and once verbally accepted, endeavour to get your offer out in writing, electronically, within 24 hours. Sooner is always better of course.

 

Make an 'expected offer’ or even exceed it

Offering a salary that's unexpected, or more to the point, less that what was initially promoted, can destroy the hard work done by all involved or at best, deflate your chosen candidate and put a dampener on things before they get started. Neither party really wants to have to enter 'negotiation', least of all your, still potential at this stage, new employee.
 

So, here endeth the lecture and of course some of the above is easier said than done at times I know. The lines between our professional and personal lives are more blurred than ever right now…and sometimes things simply get in the way of preparation, undistracted engagement, clear communication, and momentum.

At the end of the day though, you want the best person for the job, BUT so do your competitors. Therefore, strive to put as much effort into promoting you, your team, the company, and the job opportunity, as your interviewee is, hopefully, putting into promoting themselves to you.

My intention here then is merely to suggest, or simply offer a reminder of what you can do, when recruiting, to ensure your role as hirer is easier, enjoyable, and ultimately more successful.

Who knows, it may even lead to wedding bells!
 

Image by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash