An interview is the most effective way you can reduce your shortlist, while getting to know your new potential employees. You may have completed lots of interviews previously, however, the power really is now with the candidate.  As candidate experience takes over the hiring process, there are a few ways you can ensure a candidate will leave wanting not only the job, but also a genuine desire to work for your company.

Remember that interviews provide candidates with the opportunity to get to know your company more. This is their chance to understand whether you’re the right fit for them.  You are essentially being interviewed too. Even if someone isn’t the one for the job, leaving them with a positive vibe about your company is vital.

To stand the best chance, check out our top tips below on creating the best interview experience for your candidates and get your first choice hire.

Why candidate experience is currently leading the hiring process?

Candidate experience has always been important, but now more than ever with people happy to share their experiences online. Whether candidates have a positive or negative time in an interview, they are likely to share this with their network; influencing whether you’ll attract top talent in the near future.

It is now very much a candidate driven market. Your competitors are battling for the same talent. Therefore, it is important that your interview process engages candidates, making them feel a part of your company, even before an offer is sent.

Before you hold your next candidate interviews try to understand what your current recruitment process says about you. Then make effective changes to ensure you’re being viewed as you’d hoped in the market.

Our top tips for a positive interview experience

Make the first impression a lasting one

First impressions on both ends of the spectrum count. A candidate’s performance will influence their likelihood of moving through the hiring process. Likewise, your processes will influence a candidate’s decision if you want to progress them to the next stage.

Avoid a checklist approach to your interview

Some hiring managers find interviews a little awkward.  If this is you then you probably find it easier to follow a checklist approach. You may have heard that this is the fairest way to compare candidates. However, be careful with how you present the checklist. This approach can be disengaging and often leaves you knowing nothing about the candidate’s personality or team fit.

Of course, there will be key areas to run through and certain criteria you are looking for. However, finding the most perfect candidate by simply filling all of your tick boxes is highly unrealistic.

Instead of running through the same process, interview after interview, let conversation flow.  How else are you going to really find out what makes the candidate tick?

Get your company culture across

It is important that you share your company values, goals and ways of working at the interview. The way you conduct business will influence a candidate’s decision. With that said, it’s best for candidates to understand your culture now, and whether it is for them.  You need to know this now, rather than months down the line!

When considering culture, as well as considering the perfect fit, attempt to approach the interview process by considering a cultural add route. This will help you identify what your candidates can bring to your workplace as well as fitting in with your current team.

Engage candidates as much as possible throughout the interview

Another way to ensure your candidates feel excited about your job offering and workplace is by ensuring engagement is continuous. Provide opportunities throughout the interview for questions, share your own experiences at the company, and really humanise the conversation.

An interview should be a two-way exchange.  At the end of an interview you should feel that both you and the candidate have a better understanding of each other.

To increase involvement throughout the interview process, providing a tour of the workplace, introducing candidates to potential colleagues or offering a taster of business in action will give candidates a very real experience of your company.

If you’re looking for the best possible candidates for technical or engineering jobs, get in touch with our team today.