Once the pandemic is over, or at least things go back to a new “normal”, it's likely that companies will get busy recruiting; filling all those roles that were put on hold, kicking off those stalled projects and possibly instigating new ones.

As an employer you may be inclined to think that there will be an abundance of great talent available in the market, ready to cherry-pick on demand due to retrenchments or stand-downs.

Yes there will certainly be candidates who are waiting patiently to make a move once the job market springs back to normal however, do not take for granted that these candidates will not be in great demand or have a number of opportunities in the pipeline.

It is also highly likely that candidates have had time to review their career goals and motivators allowing them to be a little more selective about making a decision to find the 'right role' next.

With this in mind, it's important that the recruitment process, including your interview with them, leaves them coming away engaged and excited about the prospect of working for your organisation.

Whilst as Recruiters, we can tell them about the great culture, the perks, the latest tech and the work/life balance but as their potential employer, you need to go above and beyond to provide a fantastic candidate experience enabling the candidate to walk away feeling inspired to join your team.

So what can you do as an interviewer to make sure that you give the candidate a great experience?

If you answer that thinking “who cares about the candidate, they should be grateful to get a chance at working here”, then you're already way behind. In this age of customer experience, you also need to be thinking about how you want your candidate to feel long after they have walked away from the interview.

So just a few quick tips.

Friendly & Engaging – It may sound obvious, but it's important when greeting the candidate to keep in mind that they may be nervous and that they have specifically taken time out of their day, perhaps time away from work, to meet with you. Therefore, you should smile and be prepared to make small talk, to help put them at ease. This is also a great way to get to know them.

Within the interview, remember to give the candidate time to ask questions. Whilst you might first give an overview of the role and organisation, rather than just selling the benefits of the organisation, you could tell them your story. How you came to work there and/or the opportunities and challenges the company has given you, as well as any other things you love about working there. This makes you more approachable and genuine and gives an insight into the company.

When asking the candidate questions, really listen to what the candidate says, using this as a time to assess their cultural fit for your organisation, as well as unearthing any red flags that may pop up which you can then investigate further.

Take time and Plan – This refers to ensuring that you have had a look at the candidate's resume beforehand so that you are aware of their overall work history, skills & experience. This way you will have already thought about some questions and will show the candidate you are genuinely interested in them and have done some research. Think about it, do you expect for the candidate to have done their research on your organisation before the interview? I'm guessing you would, so it's best to give them the same courtesy.

Don't rush - Whilst we are all busy, there is nothing worse than when an interviewer is distracted, keeps looking at their watch or even worse, their mobile phone! Don't think candidates don't pick up on this type of behaviour, because they do and it's very off-putting. Pre-plan how long you expect the interview to take and outline this at the beginning, allowing time for your key questions and some time for any questions the candidate may have.

Remote/virtual interviews – with non face-to-face meetings, you still need to be mindful of the other things I've mentioned. However, there is the extra potential for things to go wrong from a technical perspective, so ensure you have the candidates number and they have yours, so that you can get in contact should things go wrong. Make sure you have a back-up plan – i.e. using Skype, try Zoom and don't cut the pleasantries because it's virtual, it's still worth breaking the ice with some small talk to begin with, just to get the candidate at ease.

Lastly, thank the candidate for their time – Genuinely let them know that you appreciate them taking time to come in and show them that you are enthusiastic about them (if that's the case). If a candidate is looking at multiple opportunities, it's going to be important that they feel that you really value them and what they can bring to the role. Also let them know when you are likely to get back to them (or the recruiter) with feedback and feel free to ask them what other roles they are interviewing for, so that you can get an insight into your competition and the timelines that may be in place.

Customer Experience is key, and representing your organisation in the best possible way means that your candidates will walk away with a positive feeling and will be keen to join. So, perhaps before your next candidate interview, rethink the 'poker face', as this isn't the way to get the best out of candidates in the interview and to ensure they are excited and want the role.

Happy interviewing.

Get in touch with Leonie here to chat about all things consulting and recruitment.