“Don’t blow it!!” - That’s what we want CEOs or whoever the hiring manager is in your small business to know.
It takes so much of your time/resources to get a great candidate to be interested in your position - the average survey says it takes 40-80 hours of work to find a good candidate. So, don’t blow it when you get the opportunity to interview.
If you are spending so much time getting a great candidate to the interview stage, let’s figure out how to keep them engaged!
Here are some tips and tricks we have learned over the last 29 years as you set up their interview experience (if you are more interested in Matt Filer and I discussing on the HR Ins and Outs for Small Business Podcast, here is the link to the podcast):
Tip #1 - Let the Candidate Know What to Expect
No one wants a surprise. No one wants to wait around and wonder what comes next. So, tell your candidates at the very beginning of the process what is likely to happen. This can help to alleviate any anxiety they may have and ensure that they are well-prepared. Send an email saying something like:
“Dear Sue, We are very excited to have you entering the interview process for the Accounting Manager position. We will begin with a video interview on ______. This will be 30 minutes and will be with the hiring manager, ____________. Next, we will be sending a personality assessment to you. This will take 15 minutes of your time and we will send you the results as well. Then, the on-site interviews will happen over 3 hours in one day and the candidates will meet with 3 of our other managers, __________________. We hope to make a hiring decision by July 1. If you will not be advancing to the next stage in the process we will let you know in a timely manner. Let’s get started. We look forward to getting to know you.” - You have our permission to copy and paste.
Tip #2 - Get the Logistics Right
Ensure that parking, reception, and other logistics are in order. This will help to create a smooth and seamless experience for the candidate, and also ensure that they arrive at the interview feeling relaxed and focused. Here are some examples:
If there are multiple parking lots, send a map showing which one to use. If the front door is confusing - spell it out in the directions.
If you have a receptionist, make sure he/she knows your candidate is coming, and exactly what to do when he/she arrives. Reception should know exactly what to say: “Glad you are here, Sue! We have been expecting you. Take a seat right here and Don will be with you right at 9am! We hope you have a good day.”
You would think this is self-explanatory. However, we hear from candidates all the time about how there was no direction and they did not know where to go.
Tip #3 - Don’t Overload the Candidate
As you plan the interview day, here are some tips:
Plan on the interview being around 30-45 minutes.
Plan on interviews never being more than a 3-1 ratio (interviewers to interviewee). Large panel interviews just don’t work well and totally stress the candidate. We get the feedback that it feels like a firing squad when there are more than 3!
Plan for a break with a snack or coffee if the person will have multiple interviews.
Tip #4 - Be Prepared
We always tell the candidate to be prepared but the interviewer should be as well! Here are some easy items to check along the way:
Make sure you have reviewed the resume and highlight a couple of interesting things.
Look at their LinkedIn to see what you might have in common.
Have 2-3 questions written about their background and 2-3 more questions to help you determine culture fit and skills fit!
It will speak volumes to the candidate that you are a quality employer if you have taken the time in advance to research them. What do you think when you walk into the interview as a candidate and the interviewer obviously is looking at your resume for the first time - it is disappointing for sure!
We get it - hiring isn’t much fun. No one loves it. But your outcome can be much better if you do these things in advance!!
If you want to go more into depth about this subject, listen to our podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts: