Our objective during job interviews is to identify candidates who can & will do the job & will fit within the organization. In today's business environment companies need quick access to quality candidates & interviewers need the skills & a proven methodology for obtaining job-specific information & assessing it. Below are four significant recruiting best practices:

Recruiting used to be a relatively simple process. Employers would post their openings & wait for applicants to respond. But in today's competitive market for talent, many organizations have replaced this 'post & pray' approach with ongoing, multi-faceted recruiting marketing programs enabling them to:

78% of the respondents to a 2015 survey said that they would be open to discussing a job opportunity if a recruiter reached out to them - even if they were not actively looking for a job 

For multiple business reasons we often are tempted to fill openings quickly. However,  Peter Drucker frequently said "fast people decisions are usually wrong people decisions." Improper hires create numerous unwanted performance & legal ramifications. Just a body can be worse than having nobody.

 

As obvious as preparation seems, some interviewers still fail to take the time to thoroughly understand the job criteria that are essential for successful performance in the open position. These job criteria - which interviewers will need to explore - may include competencies, experience, achievements, education, characteristics of the work environment, etc. Interviewers should go into an interview with a sound understanding of the job's Can Do's, Will Do's & Fit Factors. Clients have found it useful for The Focus Group to interview the managers involved in the filling a position & then use their feedback to create for them a comprehensive position description.

80% of the interview time the candidate should be answering questions related to the position specifications. Interviewers should feel that when they speak they are interrupting. And typically interviewers should only interrupt the applicant to probe, clarify, encourage or re-focus the applicant back to the position's specifications.       

 

Interviewers are trying to predict the future - how the applicant will perform on the job. So, interviewers need specific examples of the applicant's past experience as it pertains to the position's specifications. Descriptions of the applicant's past behavior are the best predictors of his/her future behavior. Behavior-based questions allow the interviewer to envision the candidate's future job performance based on his/her past behavior - versus relying on a gut feeling.

 

We'd enjoy discussing how our Executive Search Services might help your organization with any of its recruiting needs. The Focus Group: