Yes, you read the title of this blog post correctly. To improve our interview processes we must first make a few hiring mistakes of our own so that we can learn from them.
After being on both sides of the hiring process, our team has learned a thing or two about best-interviewing practices. So, luckily for all our Tremendous Upside readers, we had a few teachable moments in our back pocket and now we want to share them with you.
These are 4 interview faux pas that will ruin your chances with great candidates:
- Showing up unprepared – This should be an obvious one. Top candidates spend hours studying market trends, company profiles, career sites and industry news – so why would we wait until the last minute to read up on our potential new hire?! We’ve heard all the horror stories where candidates have to remind recruiters of simple details, like their name or even the job they applied for. That’s just not right.
As talent industry pros, we know how busy our schedules can get. Block off a little time before the candidate comes in so that you can get to know who you are dealing with and what values they could offer your company. Sometimes all it takes is a 5-minute refresh to get you back on your game with top talent.
- Asking bland/irrelevant questions – This habit can stem from showing up unprepared to the interview. Use your knowledge of the candidate’s background to ask how their experience makes them the right fit for your position. You won’t learn anything groundbreaking by asking the usual, boring questions – so go ahead and make them your own by adding a dash of your company culture to the mix.
Don’t be afraid to jazz up your interview with a few unique q’s to get the conversation started. Nothing loosens up a candidate like asking them who they identify with most on The Office. FYI – Beware if their answer is “Dwight.”Remember, you are also trying to sell them on your company during the hiring process, so be sure to work in a few questions asking about how your 2 sets of values can work together to kick@$$. - Anti-social Interviewing – If it all works out, your team members will be the candidate’s team members, so why are you hiding them in that back room with the weird tuna smell?
Show them around the office and give them an idea of what the culture is like. Bring other employees into the interview to help get the candidate out of their shell. If possible, swing by a manager’s office and introduce them – this shows the candidate how transparent the organization is, which can earn your company BIG POINTS! - Not escorting candidates out – Again, this should be obvious. After the interview comes to a natural close the only thing left to do is leave your candidate feeling positive about the experience. This is hard to do when they are forced to awkwardly navigate their way through cubicles and computers to make it to the exit.
Making candidates feel comfortable and excited about their interview experience doesn’t have to be an exact science. The right mix of common sense, manners and professionalism is just the ticket to keep top candidates interested in your company. Together we can revive the interview experience for talent everywhere.