​ “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” – Will Rogers

28…29…30...BOOM a job seeker has made an impression on you and your business within the first 30 seconds of meeting with you. It is no longer just about the job seeker selling themselves to you, but also, are you selling the role and business to the job seeker? For a manager that is new to the hiring process, there can be a lot of pressure when interviewing a potential employee. Being able to effectively interview is crucial to attracting the top talent to your business. Below are my top tips to help you through this process.

1. Preparation

Always spend time preparing for each interview, it will make you feel a lot more confident when meeting the candidate. I recommend putting together agenda points for the interview which you can share with the candidate to add more structure. Always thoroughly read through the candidate’s resume prior to meeting them so you can reference your conversation back to their CV and previous experience.

2. Build a rapport

So many times when I take interview feedback from candidates who have interviewed with hiring managers, they will say “I got a really good feeling from the person who interviewed me, we had a great chat and got on really well”. It makes a massive difference if you get to know the candidate on a personal level and not just focusing on if they can do the job. This will also allow you to assess what type of personality they have and if they will fit with existing staff members.

3. Sell the benefits

It is normal for a candidate to be considering two or three different options during their job search (ideally). No longer is salary the most important thing for job seekers, it is the benefits that businesses offer such as flexible working, social and team events, health and wellbeing projects etc. It is important to share these with candidates in the interview, as well as highlighting any achievements the business has enjoyed.

4. Call to action

It is important to leave the candidate feeling comfortable at the end of an interview, I would always recommend setting clear expectations of when they will be hearing back from you and what the next steps are.

If you are new to the hiring process and would like further advice, please don’t hesitate to reach me on 02 8270 9715 or anthony.demarco@people2people.com.au