Interviews are nerve-wracking for prospective candidates and screeners, alike. In fact, some experts believe modern applicants might even have the upper hand, reported the Harvard Business Review.
"Pipelines are depleted and more companies are competing for top talent," Claudio Fernandez-Araoz, a senior advisor at the executive search firm Egon Zehnder and recruitment specialist, told the publication. He says many candidates forced to suffer ill-prepared or inept human resources personnel are likely to "roll their eyes and find other opportunities."
In light of this role reversal, internal interviewers must sharpen their skills and adjust to the current recruitment climate. Those looking to do so should get started by reviewing a few key guidelines tailored to fit current interviewing trends.
Arrive ready
This seems like a no-brainer. Unfortunately, some interviewers stride in to meet an waiting candidate without having conducted any preparation, The Muse reported. Instead of spending the first few moments of an interview speed-reading an applicant's resume, take some time to prepare.
Carefully consider the resumes and cover letters you receive. And, if you're hiring for a creative position, be sure to comb through applicant portfolios and writing samples. This tiny bit of work will help you better evaluate potential hires and make them feel wanted and welcome. Additionally, if you get nervous during interviews, having this knowledge will soothe your anxiety and make for a fluid and productive interaction.
Ask quality questions
Again, this appears to be another piece of obvious advice. But, a lot screeners don't take it. Many start off with open-ended inquiries like, 'Tell me a little bit about yourself.' Most of the time, candidates run through a truncated personal timelines that touch on their work experience and skills. Do you know where else such bite-sized biographies can be found? Resumes.
According to FastCompany, interviewers should start with questions that push prospective employees to discuss their core values and provide use cases. Probe for character traits that predict success in your organization. For instance, if your employees work in highly specialized teams, you should scan for emotional intelligence. Look for candidates with a light managerial touch and engaging communication style.
If you find yourself blurting out old standbys, add a little extra spin. Some experts suggest filtering classic interview questions through different lenses. For example, instead of asking candidates to name their best qualities, ask them what their families would say are their strongest attributes.
"People are more honest that way. It's much better than asking their weaknesses directly, " Kristen Hamilton, CEO at the data-driven talent search firm Koru, said in an interview with FastCompany.
Keep it on the rails
Sometimes interviewers, out of nervousness or enthusiasm, lose control of the conversation and facilitate lengthy, unproductive exchanges. To address this possible scenario, think up some methods for regaining conversational control. If a candidate interrupts with questions and threatens to derail the interview with some side talk, quickly provide answers and follow with a graceful topic change.
You can also prevent such a situation by coming in with a pre-written interview template. According to Inc., you should structure the interaction based on question type. Start off with an introduction and then move into more specific questions. If you feel a diversion developing, glance down at your template and continue on.
Now that you've refreshed your interviewing strategy, it's time to test out your skills on new talent. Need help locating some rising stars? Contact YES partners. Finding people is easy, but finding the RIGHT people is not. YES Partners helps companies FIND the right people for all company functions, across many industries and globally.
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