The recruiting and interviewing process is complicated. But there are several things that can be done by candidates and employers to make the most out of the time spent getting to know each other. Interviews can be awkward, informing, good, bad, and many other things, but at some point in your life you will be involved in an interview. Why not make the best of it?

Here are 8 recruiting and interview tips for companies and candidates to make the process better for everyone.

Companies

1. Know Exactly What You Are Looking For

As companies grow, new job roles are created that must be filled. When we decide to hire for these new roles, it’s our duty to ourselves and the candidates to know specifically what we are hiring for. Are we looking for a junior candidate? Mid-level? Senior? What skills are necessary for the candidate to be successful? Knowing what level of experience you are looking for and which skills will be required in the position will help you select the best possible candidate for your team and your company.

2. Know Your Role

During the interview process, you should get to know the candidate as best as possible to see if they’ll be a good fit for your company. At the same time, the candidate will be determining if your company will be a good fit for them. Do your best to let them get to know you and the company as well. If possible, try to involve coworkers that will be working with them. Here at Bastian we do round table interviews, which include several members of the team that the candidates are looking to join.

When multiple people are involved in the interview process, it is important for each individual to know their role. Not everyone can drill the candidate with questions. There are different areas you should ask about, whether it be technical, cultural, experience, etc. Break up the responsibility between everyone. Have your most personable teammate take the lead to kick off the interview. This can help break the ice and start to determine the cultural fit. If you are there because you have a great personality and can talk with anyone, that is important to know! Interviews are already awkward, but to know that you are the person to get the ball rolling and pull some personality out of the interviewee is important!

3. Be Consistent

Consistency is key. Not only for candidates that are coming to interview with your team, but also for your coworkers that are sitting in the interview. You should have standard questions to ask each candidate when you are interviewing, whether they be experience questions or technical questions.

Being consistent will help you cover your bases and avoid forgetting anything important. It also allows for those involved to understand the flow of an interview and what’s important. If one day you get dragged into a meeting, or a family emergency comes up and you aren’t able to make the interview… no problem! Your team knows how to run a thorough and effective interview that doesn’t waste their time or the candidate’s time.

4. Sell the Opportunity HONESTLY!

When candidates are looking for career changes, they are looking for something that is better than what they currently have. Most candidates are looking for advancement, a challenge, increased compensation, etc. The time that you spend with the candidate is critical. You typically only have between 30 minutes to an hour to learn about them, introduce them to the company, and also sell them on the opportunity that you have. So get excited – people who are passionate about what they do, and can convey that in an interview, are the best employees to include. Share with the candidate what you love about the company, why you get out of bed and work 40 hours a week for something greater.

While we want to accentuate the positives, you should also be realistic with candidates. Every position has downsides… That’s okay! Be as open and as honest as you can. The reason for the position is to hopefully take something off your plate and help with your current role as well! You need them as much as they need you. When the candidate leaves their time with you, you want them to be even more excited than when they started the interview. They should want to go home, do even more research, and by the time they come in for their final interview, have more excitement for and investment in your company. If you see a progression of their research and enthusiasm of the company and the role, you know you have done a good job in the interviewing process.

Job Seeker

1. Know What You Want

I’m not talking salary, that’s later on down the road. I mean, what do you want out of your next career move? If you are unhappy in your current role, the worst thing to do is be desperate and take any position that has an open desk.

If you are looking for a career change, sit yourself down and ask “What do I want to do next? What do I want to do in 5 years?” These questions might just help you in an interview, because they will ask you! Nothing is set in stone and things will definitely change as your career progresses, but you should have an idea of what you would like to do.

One of the worst things you can do in an interview is when they ask what you are looking for in a career, responding with “Anything!” or “Something different.” “A job.” These are total turn offs to companies. If you don’t show that you care about your career and have thought things through, good employers may pass on you because you don’t know what you want. Spend some time thinking about your career path and what you want out of it.

2. Be Prepared, Do Your Research

Your first in-person interview with the company is key! First impressions are critical! Know the position you are interviewing for, spend time on their website, look through Glassdoor reviews, and start the process to gather information. This will show the employer you are prepared and interested, and is an immediate thumbs up!

If the company has done a good job, after each interview you should be more interested than the previous one. We understand that life happens, and not every interview will be a 10/10. Stuff comes up, managers get pulled into meetings, people have bad days. A lot can happen, but do your best to put your best foot forward in every interview.

3. Be Yourself and Be Honest

Don’t be afraid to show your personality during the interview. Many companies take into account cultural fit as part of their hiring process. If you show no personality or hold back, it doesn’t do yourself any good.  The company might make a decision that you aren’t the right fit for the group because they never saw the real you!

Share your hobbies or interests outside of work, as diversity is key in companies now! Not showing your personality can only hurt you in the long run.

4. Bring Questions

There are a lot of opportunities to ask questions during the interview. But what happens if you forget to ask that one really important question and don’t remember it until after the interview? To avoid this all-too-common scenario, write your questions down. Bring them to the interview and make sure you get all of them answered. Some may even be answered during the interview as you learn more. This also shows the managers that you took time to think and put together well thought-out questions, which is a good quality for a potential employee to have!

Conclusion

Interviews are two sided, ALWAYS. As much as a company is interviewing you, you are interviewing them! Taking the time to do your due diligence on both sides will improve your overall interview experience. Asking the right questions, meeting the right people, and finding the right company culture will bring happiness in your career.

If you’re looking for a rewarding career with a growing, innovative company, explore our current opportunities and apply today.

Author: Bastian Solutions