You have a candidate and a client who are interested having an exploratory conversation together – phenomenal! You are one step closer to helping your client hire their next star performer, and one step closer to finding the right candidate an exciting next step in his career. Before an initial interview takes place between the candidate and the hiring manager, you are going to prepare both parties for that conversation. No matter the situation – even if you have a candidate who has interviewed recently, or a client who interviews candidates all day long – you are still going to prepare both parties for this initial conversation. The better job you do preparing them for this interview, the greater the odds there will be a potential connection due to a more comfortable initial conversation.
Keep in mind that as a result of thorough preparation, both parties will feel more confident during the interviewing process; people like to know what is coming and what to expect. Additionally, recognize that you are assisting to make sure both parties ask questions effectively, and answer questions in a manner that conveys the most relevant information. The purpose of an interview is for both sides to walk away with enough information to concretely know that they can make a “go forward” or “not a fit” decision, and it is the recruiter’s role to make sure both sides understand what questions need to be asked and answered during that initial conversation. Taking the time to conduct a thorough prep on both sides will help continue to establish yourself as a collaborative partner in this process – not just logistically scheduling interviews, but lending credibility and legitimacy to your professional recommendations. When you give individuals information and insights that help them help themselves, you are aligning with those individuals for the long term – not just a quick interview. When you give both parties knowledge that they would not have had without you, you are continuing to build up the value of working with, and through, a recruiter.
Candidate Interview Preparation – Learn more.
Even if a candidate has been in the industry for quite some time and feel like they’ve interviewed successfully before, or even if a candidate has been interviewing recently, slow down and walk them through what to expect and how to put their best foot forward. A solid candidate interview prep should include a preface that allows the candidate to fully understand the benefit to them for taking the time to prepare for this initial meeting. It is encouraged for the candidate to do some pre-work prior to the interview, conducting research on the specific company and hiring manager and to read through any interview preparation materials that you send. Make sure to educate the candidate on the hiring manager’s background, any common ground they may have, and the personality and style of the interviewer.
Client Interview Preparation – Learn more.
Preparing a hiring manager for an interview may be one of the most commonly skipped steps in the placement process. This omission may be due to an assumption that hiring managers interview people constantly and certainly know what they are doing, or because we are worried about offending the hiring manager by giving them suggestions as to how to do their job. Skipping this step in the placement process skips an opportunity to be viewed as a true partner by your hiring managers and clients. Remember to reiterate what the value is to the hiring manager for taking the time to engage in the prep conversation!
If you are working with a passive candidate pool, make sure that clients understand that passive candidates need to be sold just as much as screened. If an initial interview is structured as purely a way to see if a candidate fits with the company without giving any highlights of how this candidate could achieve next steps by joining the firm, the hiring manager will likely insufficiently attract that passive individual. In addition, we want to share with the hiring manager exactly why this individual is interested in a discussion with their organization, as well as why the candidate is interested in speaking with their company as opposed to anyone else. It is also important to remind the hiring manager of any concerns the candidate has, and allow your hiring manager to address them, either openly or candidly, throughout the interview.
Set the expectations for next steps following the interview, even if it will be a lengthy process. Remember that there are only two objectives of an interview – for both parties to decide if they want the job or the candidate, and for both parties to have the other party wanting to hire them or work at the organization. The purpose of conducting a strong interview prep for both parties is to maximize the odds of successfully having both parties accomplish both objectives.
