A recruiter’s job is never easy. Things can become hectic while scheduling interviews, conducting online assessments, reviewing applications, etc.

If you’re the one struggling to get better at recruitment, then keep on reading this article. Here we will discuss how to start an interview as the interviewer and get better at recruitment.

The way you interview candidates says a lot about your brand. How you conduct interviews and treat your candidates is directly related to improving the candidate experience and brand reputation.

To start an interview, you must collect relevant information about the candidate. As a result, it becomes easy to prepare a list of questions to ask the candidate. That said, let’s delve into tips on how to start an interview as the interviewer and become a better recruiter.

Introduce Yourself And Your Brand

First of all, start your interview by introducing yourself and your position in the organization. You must focus on making the candidates comfortable with you to put their best foot forward in an interview.

You can also start an interview with an office tour to give candidates a clear picture of your office environment and business operations.

Be Prepared

Unprepared interviews can make the candidates step out of the recruitment process, and you’ll miss out on opportunities to hire the top talent.

The best tip on how to start an interview as the interviewer is to make sure to cross the below items off your checklist:

• Read the candidate’s resumes carefully
• Review the work samples that a candidate has submitted
• Ask relevant questions
• Be prepared to introduce your organization well, as well as the benefits and perks for the job role you’re hiring for

Start With General Questions

Start with asking general questions to get a deep insight into the candidate’s background and soft skills. Ask candidates to tell you how they see themselves and contribute their skills to your organization's success.

Asking general questions will give you a clear picture of the candidate’s communication skills, problem-solving skills, creative skills, time-management skills, etc.

Structure Your Interview

An unstructured interview can increase the candidate’s drop-off rates. When candidates have a bad experience, they post reviews on multiple websites, negatively impacting your employer brand and brand reputation.

The best way to avoid this is to structure your interview and focus on a candidate-driven approach. For example, the first part of the interview is a brief introduction about you and your company and a discussion of the business operations and the organization’s desired goals. Secondly, discuss the skills you’re looking for in a candidate and what you expect from them. Lastly, allow candidates to give feedback and ask questions, if any.

Be A Good Listener

To become a good recruiter, be a good listener. Practice being a good listener during the interviews and take notes. It will help you track how candidates performed in an interview and allow you to compare candidates and make informed hiring decisions.

Additionally, focus on what candidates want to do in the future instead of what they did in the past. Determine the candidate’s future goals and priorities.

Value Your Candidates

Show your candidates you care for them. Candidates appreciate when their employers value them. Focusing on a candidate-driven approach can help you create a positive employer brand and improve brand reputation in the market.

Greet your candidates and value their time and effort in applying to your organization. Make them feel special and maintain eye contact as much as possible. Also, allow them to give feedback and ask questions. Answering their questions will provide you with the chance to pitch your company to candidates.

When you are successful in providing a great candidate experience, you are sourcing future employees.

Give A Timeline

End your interview by giving your candidates a timeline for when they can expect to hear back from your side regarding the interview outcome. Job seekers are impatient, and they apply to multiple companies during their job search journey. So, it’s always better to give timely feedback regarding the selection; otherwise, they’ll move on to other great opportunities lying on their table.

So, now you have a glimpse of how to start an interview as the interviewer, let’s discuss some common mistakes you must avoid during your interviews.

Rushing The Interview Session

This is one of the common mistakes which every recruiter makes. Rushing the process will result in hiring the wrong person for a particular job role. The average time of an interview is 30 minutes, and in the case of technical hiring, the interview session can be extended.

Failing To Listen

It’s essential to listen to candidates and ask follow-up questions. If you don’t follow up, candidates might feel that you are not attentive during the interview session. Candidates prepare a lot before the interviews, and they deserve full attention.

Not Responding On Time

Don’t leave your candidates waiting for hours to start the interview. If you make them wait, they will feel that your company doesn’t consider the interview necessary. This can demotivate the candidates, and they’ll move on to other opportunities.

Asking Irrelevant Questions

Asking irrelevant questions can annoy qualified candidates, and they will lose interest in the interview. You must always ask relevant questions related to the job role you’re hiring for.

Job interviews don't end when candidates leave the room. You need to follow up with the candidates and keep them updated about where they stand in the recruitment process. Give yourself time to assess each candidate before landing on the outcome.

Always ask for feedback from candidates, which will help you improve your hiring strategies to deliver an immense candidate experience and develop a positive employer brand.

The above mentioned tips will help you on how to start an interview as the interviewer and become a better recruiter.