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. 

Additionally, it shouldn’t be assumed that the position this candidate currently has is the exact position they are interviewing for at your client organization, so go through the exact hot buttons the client is looking for.  Make sure your candidate is prepared to market their skills and experience as it relates to the job itself.  Coach your candidate to prepare questions to ask the hiring manager, and to be prepared for the most commonly asked questions in an initial interview.  Finally, remind your candidate to close for next steps – how this interviewer perceives them fitting within the organization, and if there are any areas that haven’t been covered that are important to the hiring decision.
Keep in mind that the interview prep conversation can make huge strides in how you are perceived and valued by your candidate – if you simply read, bullet for bullet, the list of things that they read for themselves, you will be viewed as an administrative resource that confirms interviews and coordinates schedules.  If you instead help your candidate think about issues that they wouldn’t have thought of otherwise, and prepare them in a way that makes them feel confident going into the meeting, you will be perceived as a true partner in the interviewing process. 

Documents

altScript for Candidate Interview Preparation
altInterview Preparation Checklist
altInterview Preparation Worksheet
altTelephone Interview Tips
altFollow-Up Email or Letter Tips
altBetter Candidate Interview Preparation by Jon Bartos

 

 

Videos

Before you begin preparing a candidate for an interview, the first step is to preface to that individual why it’s in their best interest to take the time to fully prepare for an initial interview – even if they are not actively looking for a new opportunity.

There are deliberate steps that a candidate should take when preparing for an interview; this clip from the NLE Foundation Training Program highlights the importance of the candidate researching the company, hiring manager, and reviewing the interview preparation materials sent to them by their recruiter.

Beyond simply the names and titles of the hiring managers a candidate will speak with, it is critical to share background information, common ground, and the personality and style of the interviewer.

Instead of simply telling a candidate to be prepared to answer the most commonly anticipated questions asked in a first interview, this clip from the NLE Foundation Training Program shares specific ways to coach your candidate through how to respond to the heavily anticipated questions.

Recruiters encourage clients to not ask questions about desired compensation when making a move, but the question can come up in an interview.  This clip provides a specific script that can be shared with candidates to help them navigate through this compensation discussion if it arises.

 

NLE LIBRARY

MARKETING PRESENTATION CONTENT

MARKETING PRESENTATIONS

OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS

MATCHING & PRESENTING

CANDIDATE & CLIENT INTERVIEW PREPARATION

CANDIDATE & CLIENT INTERVIEW DEBRIEF

GATEKEEPERS

OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS

APPROACHES

NAME GATHERING

CANDIDATE DATA SHEETS