Most recruiters nowadays focus on the interview itself. What I haven’t heard many recruiters ask, “What do you do before the interview?”
Like with any successful marketing campaign, there’s the pre-marketing campaign that introduces the concept and builds up anticipation.
Brian Tracy once said, “One minute of planning equals ten minutes in action.” To recruit great employees and be as efficient as possible while holding interviews, you need to start preparing before each interview.
Here are my 6 recruiter interview tips to help prepare for a great interview:
#1 Establish exactly what you’re looking for
Before any interview, you need to have an in-depth understanding of your company’s needs.
You have to obtain transparency and get a feel for the leadership’s needs and wants. If you’re the boss yourself, you should brainstorm and really reflect upon what your company needs the most right now.
Write a list of qualities, traits, and other criteria which your future employees must possess. The best way to do is is to assess the qualities of your current employees and figure out what their strengths are and what their gaps are, if any.
#2 Carefully scan resumes and scout social channels
You need to carefully assess each resume you receive. Because reading resumes is so time-consuming, this is where resume screening software can really make a difference to speed up the process.
By not paying enough attention to the resumes you’re receiving, you’ll waste time by interviewing the wrong people to begin with.
We’re living in the digital era, which means it’s a good idea to check your applicants’ public social media presence. Start with LinkedIn and also look at with Facebook and Twitter.
The information you’ll get on social channels may be much closer to the truth and provide a fuller picture of the candidate.
#3 Plan your questions ahead
As with all interview techniques for employers, the more you plan, the better you’ll do when the interview happens. The best format to follow is a structured interview.
For example, if the applicant states that he’s an experienced Java developer, prepare some questions that an advanced Java developer should easily answer.
Mara Michaels is the HR manager at Aussie Writings. Here are her suggestions for recruiters:
“Find some relevant questions that address all of those who apply. The more you plan your questions ahead the easier it’ll be to get to keep track of their answers during the interviews.”
#4 Include some icebreakers
Break the tension by talking a little bit off the topic, address a recent event or ask about the candidate’s (non-work related) background.
These icebreakers are meant to create a rapport and make the interview feel comfortable for both of you.
#5 Make the prospect feel comfortable
Think of some ways in which you can create a relaxed environment and atmosphere.
For example, you can organize an interview outside of the office such as meeting for coffee. This interview technique can help the candidate feel more open and willing to share.
#6 Prepare your offer
Before the interview, think about how you’re going to present your job offer to each of your applicants. Create a specific presentation depending on the information that you’ve already received from the candidate.
By presenting an offer according to a candidate’s needs and wants, the candidate will feel like you’ve taken the time to dig deep.
Olivia Ryan is a young journalist who is passionate about careers, recruitment, and self-development. She constantly tries to learn something new and share her recruiter interview tips online. Meet her on Twitter.