Interview or Interrogation?

Think about the worst interview you've ever had. My worst interview was at a recognizable company in Minneapolis where I started by taking a math assessment, did a presentation, and then met with 3 different individuals. Two of the interviewers fired a list of questions at me, one after one, and didn't ask any follow up questions. They acted as if they'd rather be anywhere else and gave me no sense of what it would be like to work there. I left feeling terrible; I had just wasted 3 hours interviewing for a job I no longer wanted.

Fast forward to 2018. I'd like to think that candidate experience has come a long way in the last decade, but I'm not so sure (we've all seen the recruiter vs. candidate battles on LinkedIn). The good news is that there are simple ways to improve your candidate experience, especially during the on-site interview. Use this opportunity to highlight all the unique features of your company and the role.

1. Create a welcoming environment. Make the candidate experience memorable with a friendly "hello" from your front desk person, offer them a beverage, chat with them for a few minutes so they can get rid of some of their nerves, and bring them to a nice space for the interview. Maybe you even have some branded goodies you can give to your candidate. Also, make sure your interviewers are on time! Many candidates take time off work to interview, so waiting for more than a few minutes can be frustrating.

2. Frame your Interview Questions. Your candidate does not want to feel like they are on a witness stand. Teach your interviewers how to frame each question. This concept is easy to implement and helps the candidate understand how the question you are about to ask relates to the job and/or your company. The one or two sentences you provide before the question, gives them useful information and helps the interview feel less "one-sided".

Example: "Here at Company XYZ, we would like to be less manual in our work and utilize systems more effectively to save time. Can you tell me about a time you implemented a time-saving process at your current company?

See how easy it is? The candidate now knows you are more manual that you'd like to be, you are working to change that, and s/he could make an impact in this change.

3. Close the Interview. Now that you have created a welcoming interview environment, and have learned how to make the interview feel more like two-way dialogue, make sure the close of the interview is spot-on. Leave time for the candidate's questions, let them know when they will hear back and give them your business card in case they come up with questions later. Ask them what would prevent them from accepting the position to gauge their level of interest and address concerns they might have. Leave them with a positive impression of your company.

Why is creating an amazing candidate experience important during the interview? These candidates are your customers or know your customers. They could leave the interview as a brand ambassador or tell their social network about their sub-par experience. Which do you prefer?