It’s certainly true that there are plenty of hiring challenges in the job market. However, regardless of the conditions that exist in the employment marketplace at any one time, there’s one thing that doesn’t change about hiring the best and brightest:

You have to provide a great experience for candidates throughout the entire interviewing and hiring process . . . or you greatly reduce the chances they’ll decide to work for your company.

Let’s get down to brass tacks for a moment. The candidates for whom you’re looking—those individuals who can make a noticeable impact on your bottom line—are probably working at another company right now. In addition, they’re more than likely not actively looking for a new opportunity. That’s because top candidates are usually passive candidates and not active job seekers.

There are three main phases of the process of which you should be cognizant and during which you should strive to provide the best experience possible: the telephone screening, the face-to-face interview, and the feedback that you give.

Telephone screening

Be sensitive of the candidate’s circumstances (i.e., their current employment situation). Tell the candidate up front how long the call will take and make sure to call on time, since they’ve created space in their schedule for you. Before the screening process of the call begins, ask the candidate if they need to close the door for privacy.

Face-to-face interview

It’s the face-to-face interview, whether it’s an in-person interview or a virtual one, that’s most important in terms of a positive experience, so plan the process carefully and thoroughly. Below are some tips for success:

1. Give the candidate some time. Don’t ask them to come in the very next day or even the day after that, especially if there’s a lot of travel involved.
2. Whenever possible, let the candidate know approximately how long the interview will take, and unless circumstances demand it, don’t take up their entire day.
3. Also if possible, let the candidate know with whom they’ll be meeting during the interview.
4. Only invite a candidate back for a second interview if you’re truly serious about them.

Feedback

Feedback following the interview should take no more than 48 hours. If it’s going to take longer than that, just be sure to tell the candidate that’s the case. If you still haven’t made a decision a week later, communicate that to the candidate, as well. As you can see, the central thread running through all of this is effective communication.

Take a hard look at your screening, interviewing, and hiring process. What kind of experience are you providing for candidates? Is it one that will attract them and make them want to work for you? If not, identify where changes should be made and then make them. Failure to do so could be costly.

If you’re looking to hire exceptional candidates, then we invite you to connect with our team today and see what The Doepker Group can do for your organization.

We also invite you to click HERE to find out even more about the many services that we offer to employers.