The 12 Keys to Successful Recruiting
by Jim Citrin
After polling a cross-section of accomplished recruiting professionals, the following 12 strategies emerged. When implemented, they'll help organizations present their best face to candidates and establish practices that enable interviewers to develop a thorough, accurate portrait of a candidate and his or her ability to thrive in the organization's unique culture.
Here are the strategies:
1. Make the company real
The corporate interviewing process is as much about selling the company as it is assessing the individual candidates. The earliest interactions, including how candidates are treated when an interview is scheduled and the materials they're given in advance of the meeting, help set a positive tone with candidates. Some companies, for example, send product samples to a candidate's home before the interview.
Use all contact with the candidate, from the receptionist's greeting to the choreography between interview appointments, to communicate the organization's professionalism and interest.
2. Select interviewers carefully
The appropriate mix of interviewers depends on the position and to whom it reports. In general, it's valuable to have individuals who will interact regularly with the successful candidate.
Some situations suggest an opportunity to include peers or future direct reports in the interview process. However, think carefully about potentially delicate situations in which an individual may bring a different agenda.
The best interviews embody the culture of the organization, have a good eye for talent, and display the energy and enthusiasm that will resonate with candidates. Ideally, a core group of interviewers meet with all of the candidates for a particular position or level within the organization.
3. Coordinate interviews
Each interviewer should have an assigned area of focus for their meetings with a candidate. A coordinated approach allows interviewers to collectively cover broader territory and learn the most they can about the candidate.
Minimize the duplication of questions by assigning to each interviewer specific areas or topics to probe. Ideally, bring interviewers together for a brief meeting prior to the interviews to discuss their respective roles.
Finally, interviewers should be diligent about posing the same set of questions to each candidate. A coordinated approach is not only effective for garnering valuable information, it also communicates to the candidate that the company is organized, efficient, and dedicated to high quality.
4. Be focused, timely, and polite
If you believe that people are your organization's most important asset, then recruiting should be a top priority.
Make sure to set aside an appropriate amount of time for the meeting and don't allow interruptions. Be on time; schedule interviews with the flexibility to run longer if the conversation warrants it.
Understand that candidates are busy professionals who are interested in pursuing the opportunity, but are nonetheless sacrificing their time to interview.
5. Plan your questions
Come prepared to the interview. Review the candidate's résumé carefully. Develop some questions that are tailored to the requirements of the position and that link with the candidate's background.
Be sure to get quickly to the heart of the discussion. When candidates have to repeat basic information included in their résumé or spend a lot of time discussing mutual acquaintances, valuable time is taken away from the core discussions about the requirements of the position and the mutual fit.
6. Listen thoughtfully
Senior-level candidates tend to be skilled interviewers and engaging personalities, so it's important to concentrate on getting the answers needed to understand their capabilities and weaknesses as they pertain to the role.
Listen thoughtfully to their responses, including the way they answer questions and the quality of their thought process. Resist the temptation to do too much of the talking, and don't be afraid of silent pauses. As a general rule, the candidate should do three-quarters of the talking.
7. Assess the cultural fit
Use your time with candidates to understand how they might fit in with the organization's personalities, internal dynamics, and culture. Ask specific questions that get at the individual's communication and interpersonal styles and temperament.
Questions that require candidates to illustrate how they've accomplished specific tasks in past roles can help reveal their leadership style, including their approach to working in teams, sensitivity to internal politics, and openness to others' opinions.
8. Ask and answer tough questions
Don't shy away from asking candidates direct questions about issues in their background, or about their management or communication style. Avoiding sensitive topics during the interview could set both the company and the candidate up for problems later.
Similarly, be honest about the realities of the position and the company's challenges. Savvy candidates have done their homework and most are likely to be aware of many of the issues confronting the organization.
Discussing the challenges and the company's approach to dealing with them in a straightforward way will increase the organization's credibility with the candidate. More important, it'll avoid setting up false expectations should he or she accept the position.
9. Sell the company
Talented candidates often have many options to choose from, and want to work for the best companies that have the brightest futures in roles that give them a stake in achieving important goals. The best interviewers seize the opportunity to show their personal passion for the company and deliver a compelling message about the future plans for the business.
10. Follow up after the interview
One of the key decision-makers should contact the candidate after the interview. Great interviewers often personally call or email a candidate to thank them and share any afterthoughts. This approach is generally very positively received by candidates.
11. Collect feedback
Gather all the interviewers to get feedback while their thoughts and impressions are still fresh. This ensures that assessments are more accurate and keeps the process moving by enabling prompt feedback to the candidate.
Some companies convene a short roundtable meeting at the end of an interview day to share observations. In a debriefing session, allow each person to briefly share their views about the candidate's fit with the role and the organization.
One point of caution: The order in which observations are shared can influence the views or comments of others. To promote the most open and honest assessments, have the most senior executive share his or her opinions last.
12. Maintain candidates' confidentiality
Even when motivated by the best of intentions, interviewers should resist the temptation to reach out to contacts at a candidate's current or former organization for information. Word that an individual is interviewing tends to spread quickly, potentially creating big problems for the candidate.
Conduct background checks and thorough referencing at the appropriate time in the process, and in a discreet manner.
The Bottom Line
The organizations that are most successful at recruiting view the interviewing process from the candidate's perspective. They treat candidates respectfully in all phases of the process and are responsive, decisive, open, and attentive.
They balance their responsibility to accurately assess the candidate's fit for the role with the ability to understand, package, and sell the strengths and opportunities of the company.
After polling a cross-section of accomplished recruiting professionals, the following 12 strategies emerged. When implemented, they'll help organizations present their best face to candidates and establish practices that enable interviewers to develop a thorough, accurate portrait of a candidate and his or her ability to thrive in the organization's unique culture.
Here are the strategies:
1. Make the company real
The corporate interviewing process is as much about selling the company as it is assessing the individual candidates. The earliest interactions, including how candidates are treated when an interview is scheduled and the materials they're given in advance of the meeting, help set a positive tone with candidates. Some companies, for example, send product samples to a candidate's home before the interview.
Use all contact with the candidate, from the receptionist's greeting to the choreography between interview appointments, to communicate the organization's professionalism and interest.
2. Select interviewers carefully
The appropriate mix of interviewers depends on the position and to whom it reports. In general, it's valuable to have individuals who will interact regularly with the successful candidate.
Some situations suggest an opportunity to include peers or future direct reports in the interview process. However, think carefully about potentially delicate situations in which an individual may bring a different agenda.
The best interviews embody the culture of the organization, have a good eye for talent, and display the energy and enthusiasm that will resonate with candidates. Ideally, a core group of interviewers meet with all of the candidates for a particular position or level within the organization.
3. Coordinate interviews
Each interviewer should have an assigned area of focus for their meetings with a candidate. A coordinated approach allows interviewers to collectively cover broader territory and learn the most they can about the candidate.
Minimize the duplication of questions by assigning to each interviewer specific areas or topics to probe. Ideally, bring interviewers together for a brief meeting prior to the interviews to discuss their respective roles.
Finally, interviewers should be diligent about posing the same set of questions to each candidate. A coordinated approach is not only effective for garnering valuable information, it also communicates to the candidate that the company is organized, efficient, and dedicated to high quality.
4. Be focused, timely, and polite
If you believe that people are your organization's most important asset, then recruiting should be a top priority.
Make sure to set aside an appropriate amount of time for the meeting and don't allow interruptions. Be on time; schedule interviews with the flexibility to run longer if the conversation warrants it.
Understand that candidates are busy professionals who are interested in pursuing the opportunity, but are nonetheless sacrificing their time to interview.
5. Plan your questions
Come prepared to the interview. Review the candidate's résumé carefully. Develop some questions that are tailored to the requirements of the position and that link with the candidate's background.
Be sure to get quickly to the heart of the discussion. When candidates have to repeat basic information included in their résumé or spend a lot of time discussing mutual acquaintances, valuable time is taken away from the core discussions about the requirements of the position and the mutual fit.
6. Listen thoughtfully
Senior-level candidates tend to be skilled interviewers and engaging personalities, so it's important to concentrate on getting the answers needed to understand their capabilities and weaknesses as they pertain to the role.
Listen thoughtfully to their responses, including the way they answer questions and the quality of their thought process. Resist the temptation to do too much of the talking, and don't be afraid of silent pauses. As a general rule, the candidate should do three-quarters of the talking.
7. Assess the cultural fit
Use your time with candidates to understand how they might fit in with the organization's personalities, internal dynamics, and culture. Ask specific questions that get at the individual's communication and interpersonal styles and temperament.
Questions that require candidates to illustrate how they've accomplished specific tasks in past roles can help reveal their leadership style, including their approach to working in teams, sensitivity to internal politics, and openness to others' opinions.
8. Ask and answer tough questions
Don't shy away from asking candidates direct questions about issues in their background, or about their management or communication style. Avoiding sensitive topics during the interview could set both the company and the candidate up for problems later.
Similarly, be honest about the realities of the position and the company's challenges. Savvy candidates have done their homework and most are likely to be aware of many of the issues confronting the organization.
Discussing the challenges and the company's approach to dealing with them in a straightforward way will increase the organization's credibility with the candidate. More important, it'll avoid setting up false expectations should he or she accept the position.
9. Sell the company
Talented candidates often have many options to choose from, and want to work for the best companies that have the brightest futures in roles that give them a stake in achieving important goals. The best interviewers seize the opportunity to show their personal passion for the company and deliver a compelling message about the future plans for the business.
10. Follow up after the interview
One of the key decision-makers should contact the candidate after the interview. Great interviewers often personally call or email a candidate to thank them and share any afterthoughts. This approach is generally very positively received by candidates.
11. Collect feedback
Gather all the interviewers to get feedback while their thoughts and impressions are still fresh. This ensures that assessments are more accurate and keeps the process moving by enabling prompt feedback to the candidate.
Some companies convene a short roundtable meeting at the end of an interview day to share observations. In a debriefing session, allow each person to briefly share their views about the candidate's fit with the role and the organization.
One point of caution: The order in which observations are shared can influence the views or comments of others. To promote the most open and honest assessments, have the most senior executive share his or her opinions last.
12. Maintain candidates' confidentiality
Even when motivated by the best of intentions, interviewers should resist the temptation to reach out to contacts at a candidate's current or former organization for information. Word that an individual is interviewing tends to spread quickly, potentially creating big problems for the candidate.
Conduct background checks and thorough referencing at the appropriate time in the process, and in a discreet manner.
The Bottom Line
The organizations that are most successful at recruiting view the interviewing process from the candidate's perspective. They treat candidates respectfully in all phases of the process and are responsive, decisive, open, and attentive.
They balance their responsibility to accurately assess the candidate's fit for the role with the ability to understand, package, and sell the strengths and opportunities of the company.
posted by Pushkar at
8:29 PM
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