An interview isn’t just an opportunity for you to decide whether or not an individual is a match for your company. It’s a building block for how and who you interview moving forward, it’s indicative of the treatment a person can expect as a future employee of your organization and of how their friends would be treated during an interview process with your company. You, as a hiring director, aren’t the one relaying to friends and family the interviewing experience your candidate had - they are.
Here are a few tips around interviewing while keeping top of mind that candidates are people too.
Tip #1: Always be on the lookout for constructive feedback.
Even if you realize in the first 3 minutes of speaking to someone that they aren’t a fit, find within your conversations constructive criticism that you could provide to the candidate for future interviews.
At Yotpo, we offer every candidate who we pass on feedback around why we proceeded with other candidates. We have all interviewed, and been passed on, for positions in the past. A little bit of feedback goes a long way in helping someone to have a positive experience interviewing with your company, and as a result you help them in their search to find a next home.
Tip #2: Provide actionable feedback.
Providing actionable feedback not only helps candidates learn how they can improve, but it forces the hiring team to think harder about why people aren’t a good fit and to adjust their search accordingly.
Typical feedback sings to the tune of: “This person isn’t a good fit."
Actionable feedback looks a little bit more like: “This person speaks very negatively of their past experiences with their managers and we're worried they could have a negative impact on those around them."
Even better?: “This person speaks very negatively of their past experiences with their managers. He mentioned that his last manager ‘didn’t really know as much as she thought she did’ and I’m worried that speaking that way around teammates could have a negative impact on morale."
Think “This person isn't the strongest candidate we met” versus "I feel the other people we have made offers to asked stronger questions and seemed more motivated for this specific position."
Important: remember what’s truly important. If you’re inclined to pass on a candidate because “She didn’t send me a same-day thank you note but waited until almost 24 hours later,” think to yourself whether that’s the sort of thing that is truly a make or break. Is there another reason you didn’t like them and this is just an additional thing you disliked? Then speak to the tangible things and leave out the fluff.
Is that truly the reason you dislike her? Then it’s not a strong enough reason to say “no.”
Tip #3: It’s difficult to do because we are human but, only vocalize feedback you wouldn’t mind the candidate overhearing and if you cross that line, at least be careful who you share feedback in front of.
We have all done it. We met with a candidate who we didn’t vibe well with or, worse, who offended us. We walk up to the Talent Team to express just how much we didn’t like this person.
But what you might not have thought about are all the people around you who also heard your thoughts on this candidate.
These are all people who at one point or another interviewed with your company and now they’re wondering, “Wow. Did they say things like this about me too?”
Remember, despite your opinion, perhaps this person could still be hired. Then everyone knows what you thought of your new colleague before he or she even walks through the door day 1.
It also suggests that it’s acceptable behavior for those of them who are currently, or will one day be, interviewers for future candidates.
Tip #4: Don’t be a jerk.
If the idea of accidentally emailing your feedback to a candidate makes you cringe, you probably aren’t providing decent feedback.
It is my least favorite thing to hear an interviewer say: I hated that person.
First of all, unless that candidate physically harmed you or your family, I’m confident in saying that it’s highly unlikely you truly hated the person. Secondly, you’re being a jerk.
Cruel criticism isn’t only rude, it’s detrimental to the interview process. It isn’t actionable feedback, your coworkers could overhear you, and heaven forbid the candidate is walking back from the bathroom as you say it.
All in all, recruit by the golden rule. Good recruiting processes are built on the foundation of helping one another and being kind. Aren’t those the sorts of people you want to be hiring anyway?
Amazing people are smart and perceptive people. Respecting candidates throughout every single interaction does not go unnoticed by the sorts of people you want to hire, and this respect can often be the determining factor for why someone chooses to work for your company over others.
