The Two-Way Street: How Professional Interviews Benefit Both Employers and Candidates

Interviews aren't just for you to select the best candidate; they're also for candidates to decide if they want to work with you. 

Traditionally, we look at job interviews as a one-sided process. Its purpose is to determine whether someone is the best candidate for a job. However, have you ever considered that it's also an opportunity for a candidate to decide whether your business is the right fit for them? 

In today's competitive job market, top talent has choices. They're not just hoping to land any job; they're evaluating whether your company's culture, values, and opportunities align with their career goals. A poorly conducted interview doesn't just risk losing great candidates; it can damage your employer brand and make it harder to attract quality applicants in the future. 

Here's how you can conduct professional interviews that reflect your company culture and professionalism while helping you select the best candidate for your company. 

Develop a Standardised Interview Process 

A standardised process ensures every candidate receives the same professional experience, regardless of who conducts the interview. This approach reduces bias and provides a fair evaluation framework. 

Key Components 

1. Standardised Questions: Develop a core set of questions for each role that assess both technical skills and cultural fit. Include behavioral questions that reveal how candidates handle real workplace situations. 

2. Clear Stage Structure: Define each interview stage clearly – initial screening, technical assessment, final interview. Candidates should know what to expect at each step. 

3. Consistent Feedback Criteria: Create evaluation rubrics that all interviewers can use to assess candidates objectively. This ensures you're comparing candidates fairly. 

4. Timeline Communication: Set clear expectations about the interview process duration and next steps. Nothing frustrates candidates more than being left in limbo. 

   
   

Here’s an example: 

• Stage 1: Phone/video screening (30 minutes) 

• Stage 2: Technical/role-specific assessment (60 minutes) 

• Stage 3: Cultural fit and final interview (45 minutes) 

• Stage 4: Reference checks and offer discussion 

Conduct Interview Training

 

Even experienced managers can benefit from interview training. Poor interviewing skills don't just lead to bad hires – they create negative candidate experiences that can harm your reputation. 

Training should cover:  

• Legal Compliance: What questions are appropriate and which ones to avoid staying within employment law boundaries. 

• Unconscious Bias Recognition: Help interviewers identify and mitigate their biases to ensure fair evaluation of all candidates. 

• Active Listening Techniques: Train interviewers to ask follow-up questions and really hear what candidates are saying. 

• Company Representation: Interviewers should understand they're ambassadors for your brand and culture. 

• Question Techniques: Move beyond surface-level questions to uncover genuine insights about candidates' capabilities and motivations. 

Ensure that refresher training is done to keep interviewing skills sharp and address any new legal requirements or company policy changes.  

Implement a Candidate Feedback System 

Gathering feedback from candidates provides invaluable insights into how your interview process is perceived and where improvements can be made.

Here are some ways you can collect feedback from candidates:  

• Post-Interview Surveys: Send brief surveys to all candidates, regardless of the outcome. Ask about their experience, the clarity of communication, and suggestions for improvement. 

• Exit Interviews for Unsuccessful Candidates: For candidates who made it to the final stages, consider a brief conversation about their experience. 

• Successful Hire Feedback: Ask new employees about their interview experience during onboarding. 

 These are some key questions you should include in your feedback forms:  

• Was the interview process clearly explained from the start? 

• Did the interviewers seem prepared and professional? 

• Were your questions answered satisfactorily? 

• How would you rate the overall experience? 

• What can we do to improve? 

Remember to not just collect the feedback – use it. Ensure that you share these insights with your interview team and adjust accordingly to improve future candidate experience.  

Review Your Interview Process Regularly 

Your interview process should evolve with your company's growth and changes in the job market. Regular reviews ensure it remains effective and candidate friendly. 

Here’s a review breakdown you can follow to keep you and your team on track:  

Monthly Reviews:  

• Analyze candidate feedback trends 

• Review time-to-hire metrics 

• Assess interviewer performance and consistency 

Quarterly In-Depth Reviews: 

• Compare successful hires' interview scores with their actual job performance 

• Review and update interview questions based on role evolution 

• Assess whether your process attracts diverse candidates 

Annual Overview: 

• Benchmark your process against industry best practices 

• Update training materials and legal compliance requirements 

• Consider new interview techniques or technologies 

In conclusion: Respect Creates Results 

Every candidate who interviews with your business becomes an integral part of your company’s reputation. They'll share their experience with colleagues, on social media, and on employer review sites such as Glassdoor. A professional, respectful interview process creates positive ambassadors for your brand, even among candidates you don't hire. 

In today's talent-driven market, companies that recognise interviews as mutual evaluations will have a significant advantage in attracting and retaining the best people.  

The team at Verelogic Recruitment can help you with this process by sourcing and vetting candidates, saving you time and ensuring you have quality candidates. We also help you and your team through the entire process by providing detailed follow-ups and feedback to both your candidates and team.  

Reach out to our team today to help you streamline and provide valuable candidates for the open roles in your business.   

Email us: recruitment@verelogic.co.uk