With such a tight labour market and more jobs than candidates, it is more important than ever for managers to maximise the interview to secure the best talent.
Our recent blog, “What do candidates in 2022 look for in the hiring process” outlined that a swift, streamlined, and organised process is just one of the ways to keep candidates engaged throughout.
Here are some more tips on what businesses and hiring managers can do to maximise the interview and secure top talent.
Maximise your interview process.
Look past the “must haves”.
No candidate is the finished article, so it’s unlikely that your applicants will tick every box on your employee wish list.
It’s important to be flexible and it’s advisable to create two lists on your recruitment documentation; one for the “essential skills” a candidate should possess and one for the “desirable skills” they’d have in an ideal world.
Although a candidate may not have all your desired skills, their essential skills are probably evidence enough that they could reach your “desirables” through training or coaching.
Prepare.
We expect a candidate to have done their research and interview preparation before their interview. As seasoned interviewers, we can tell those who have prepared and those who haven’t. We aren’t alone here. Just like us, a candidate can detect if an interviewer has taken the time to read and prepare too.
You should make sure you have taken time to thoroughly read through their CV or application form. You may also like to look up their profile on LinkedIn. This will create meaningful conversations around articles they may have commented on or posts they have written or shared.
You’ll get a feel for their personality, and you’ll stand out for the effort you’ve taken to research their career so far.
Plan the interview.
You should plan the interview beforehand, outlining the questions you intend to ask the applicants. Your base question structure should be consistent to ensure you create equal opportunities for each candidate. In addition, it should refer to the job description to make sure you get all the information you need from each applicant.
Your preparation work will enable you to work methodically and efficiently, negating the need for follow-up work and callbacks.
Your organised efficiency will help to create a swift process that won’t go unnoticed by your interviewees. You’ll also save valuable time, expense, and resources; savings that’ll be appreciated by your managers too.
Structure in time for questions.
To maximise your interview and secure the best talent, it’s important to keep to time. To help, structure in time for candidate questions at the end. This shouldn’t be a “bolt-on” feature of the interview. It should be given the necessary weight and time it deserves.
Making sure you give the candidate enough time to ask questions will make sure they feel their time is valued and their queries about the role and organisation are important.
Our aforementioned blog also highlighted that candidates in 2022 are interested to know about the diversity strategy of an employer, its sustainability practices, and its employee wellness policies. These are some areas where you might like to focus your response preparation to make sure you are able to answer candidates’ questions.
Response times.
Candidates in 2022 look for swift response times. Make sure you maximise your interview process by coming to a hiring decision quickly and communicating those decisions accordingly.
The market is moving quickly. Great candidates are few and far between. So, you can rest assured your brilliant candidate isn’t only interviewing with you!
Work hard to get everything in place and offer quickly. Your time to hire has a direct impact on candidate decisions. Taking your time will mean that your chosen applicant is likely to be snapped up by someone else.
And offer the same courtesy to those who weren’t successful. They’ll appreciate your candour. Not only will this allow them to take up another offer, you need to keep these candidates onside. You may need to reapproach them if your chosen applicant turns you down or accepts their current employer’s counteroffer.
Are you looking to build your tech workforce and go into 2023 with a bang?!
Why not work with Ignite Digital? Our progressive partnering approach to digital talent acquisition is as bespoke as you are. We know that every client and its requirements are unique. That’s what sets us apart.
Learn more about us and how we work by giving us a call today!