The interview stage is probably the most crucial part of the recruitment process in forming a candidate’s opinion of your company and the role. It’s important that candidates leave their interview understanding your company values and feeling reassured that your organisation is one they would like to be a part of.
Here’s why creating a positive interview experience is so essential to your employer brand:
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Every encounter that you have with a job-seeker will form an impression of your brand, so it’s crucial that you create a positive experience with all of them, whether the job-seeker is successful in the process or not.
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Positive word-of-mouth from a candidate regarding your selection process will significantly improve your application rates and could put you in a strong position of having a wider pool of talent to choose from.
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Negative word-of-mouth can be highly damaging to your brand. Your interviewees are important people in your network and if they have a bad interview experience with your company, they will pass this information on to other potential employees.
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Just because a candidate isn’t right for one particular role, doesn’t mean they won’t be perfect for a role that you have in the future. Pay attention to them so you don’t miss anything and don’t come across as though you don’t care. Projecting an impression of distraction or disinterest will not speak well for your brand and you risk burning bridges with candidates in your network.
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It’s a good idea to keep in contact with candidates identified as competent at interview but didn’t get the offer. Retain a positive position with these individuals so that their interest in your company is still alive should you have an opportunity for them in the future.
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The attitude and personality of an interviewer can have a huge impact on an interview experience. If you are ill-prepared or unprofessional during the interview process, this could have significant influence on whether the candidate chooses to accept a job offer or not.
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Timing between interview and offer should be kept at a minimum. An efficient recruitment process shows candidates that you are organised and professional and the candidate is less likely to lose interest in the role. See our top tips on reducing timescales in your selection process to secure the best talent: Safety is in speed when landing the best candidates
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Send all candidates feedback, the candidate deserves to know how they’ve performed whether they are being invited back or not. Frustrated candidates who are kept in the dark about their feedback are likely to be unhappy ones and it’s important for their own personal progress to know how they performed.
So remember, treat all applicants with respect. They have invested time and interest in your brand so whether they are successful in their application or not their opinions should not be disregarded. Creating an efficient, effective and engaging recruitment process is a key component in ensuring your employer brand is communicated to the best advantage, helping you to secure the very best talent for your business.
