Improving Interview Stages in Recruitment

Too many interviewers take an adversarial stance in interviews... trying to knock candidates off balance. But how many companies want to build an "adversarial" culture? How many companies knock their employees off balance? I'd hope none! You get a lot more signal on how someone will actually perform at your company when your hiring process and your interviews are reflective of your culture. 1. Stop Making People Perform Unpaid Consulting Long take-home assignments are free work. Replace them with 30-minute exercises or pay them for their time. You'll see real skills without exploiting people's time. And yes, pay them for their time. It's literally work. 2. Run Work Sessions, Not Interrogations Your top performer probably bombed interviews at five other companies. Why? Because great workers aren't always great performers. They're too busy doing actual work to rehearse stories about "a time they showed leadership." Run actual work sessions instead. You'll catch brilliance that interview theater misses. 3. Tell Candidates Your Salary Range First Discovering you're 40% apart on comp after 3 interviews wastes everyone's time. Post the range in the JD. Say it in the recruiter screen. Stop asking "what are your expectations?" when you already have a budget. The power games around salary hurt your best candidates most - they're usually the ones too polite to negotiate hard. 4. Stop Ghosting Rejected Candidates You demanded references, portfolio samples, five hours of their time. Then you disappear. Send real feedback within 48 hours. One specific thing they could improve. The candidate you reject with respect today sends you their talented friend tomorrow. The one you ghost? They're writing your Glassdoor review. 5. Define Your Interview Process Upfront Tell candidates exactly what to expect: "One phone screen, one technical assessment, one culture interview." Share the timeline and format upfront. Then stick to it. No surprise additions except in rare circumstances. No "actually, we need you to meet three more people." Candidates are juggling multiple opportunities and using PTO. Respect their time by being transparent about yours. Your interview process is a preview of your culture. If you run adversarial interviews, you're selecting for people who thrive in toxic cultures. The evidence is clear: work samples beat behavioral questions every time. You're not running military selection. You're building a team. Interview like it.

Here's how we went from a 50 to an 80 candidate NPS at Kit. Spoiler alert: None of this required a big budget or a massive overhaul. 1. We introduced ourselves before asking anything of our candidates. Before a candidate ever talks to me, they receive either a Loom video and a notion doc. It covers our product, our mission and values, our team, and exactly what to expect from the process. It's a small gesture, but it sets a tone: we prepared for you too. 2. We shortened the interview process. Most roles are now capped at 3 rounds plus a take-home assignment. We audited each stage and asked: does this round have a clear purpose? If we couldn't answer that, we cut it. Candidates have full-time jobs. Respecting their time is an important signal we need to send about our culture. 3. We embedded company context into every stage. We interviewed a mix of tenured teammates and newer hires and turned those conversations into blog posts. Those posts are woven into our interview email templates, so candidates don't just read about our company once, they keep learning about the people here and our culture as they move through the process. By final rounds, they actually feel like they know us. 4. We switched to Ashby 💜  Direct booking links replaced the scheduling back-and-forth. Automations kept candidates moving without things falling through the cracks. Time to hire dropped from 45 days to 29. A faster, smoother process isn't just better operationally, candidates clearly feel the difference too! 5. We linked our values page, with definitions, in interview prep. Not just "here are our values" but here's what each one actually means to us. Candidates come prepared with context about how our values show up, and the conversations get more substantive. Everyone leaves with a clearer picture of fit. None of these were sweeping changes. Just a series of small, intentional improvements made over time, each one making the experience a little more considerate, and a little more human. Questions? Comment below and I'll do my best to answer them.

In today’s competitive talent landscape, interview design matters — not just evaluation criteria. Traditional hiring processes often unintentionally trigger candidate anxiety, which can obscure competence and disproportionately impact under-represented talent. 🔍 Key takeaways from The Global Recruiter article that captured this: • Anxiety starts long before the interview room. Vague job descriptions, unclear stages and last-minute changes create uncertainty. Providing detailed expectations up front empowers candidates to prepare rather than worry. • Design interviews around real work. Rapid-fire or abstract tasks may reward performance under pressure more than actual job competence. Structuring conversations to reflect real responsibilities offers a fairer signal of ability. • Train interviewers on stress responses. Silence or hesitancy can stem from anxiety, not lack of ability. Awareness helps reduce bias and makes better hiring decisions. • Give candidates control where possible. Options around timing, format and brief breaks create a more humane experience without sacrificing rigor. • Communication matters. Clear feedback and timelines reduce post-interview stress and strengthen employer brand — even with unsuccessful candidates. The point isn’t lowering standards — it’s designing with psychological safety in mind so recruiters see true capability rather than coping mechanisms.

As a human resources professional and leadership and career coach, I have supported numerous clients navigating the grueling interview process. In today’s competitive labor market, the candidate experience is often the first impression potential employees have of your company. Yet, too many candidates face a disheartening journey filled with murky communication, lengthy processes, and impersonal interactions. Here are a few ways we can fix this broken system and set a new standard: 1.     Streamline the Application Process: Ensure your application is straightforward and respects the candidate's time. Simplify forms and reduce redundancies. Is it really necessary to manually complete an online application when you have the candidate’s resume? 2.     Communicate Proactively and Transparently: Keep candidates in the loop at every stage of the process. Automated updates, clear timelines, and open feedback channels can prevent the anxiety of the 'black hole' syndrome where candidates hear nothing back. 3.     Respect and Value Every Applicant: Treat candidates as you would your customers. Every applicant should be contacted with the status of their candidacy. A respectful rejection letter that offers constructive feedback can turn a rejection into a positive interaction, encouraging them to apply again in the future or recommend your company to others. 4.     Personalize the Interview Experience: Tailor interviews to the role and involve team members who can speak to the job’s day-to-day realities. This not only enhances the candidate's understanding of the position but also showcases your team's culture. Be respectful of the candidate’s time. When possible, have the candidate meet with everyone on the same day. There really is no excuse for 5, 6, 7, etc. rounds of interviews. 5.     Ask for Feedback: Post-interview surveys can provide invaluable insights into your process from the candidate's perspective, allowing you to continually improve. By enhancing the candidate experience, you not only increase the chances of attracting top talent but also boost your employer brand.   Does your organization boast an awesome candidate experience? Please share how your organization is working to simplify the job search process.

Getting to the final interview stage multiple times without landing the offer is frustrating—but also a huge signal that you’re close. It means you’re strong enough to beat out 90% of the candidates… but something is falling short at the finish line. Here’s how to identify what might be going wrong—and what to do to finally convert those finals into offers: 1. Look for Patterns in the Feedback If you’ve had multiple final rounds: Ask: “Is there any constructive feedback you can share about what I could improve?” Look for common threads: Lack of energy/urgency? Didn’t connect with the hiring manager? Didn’t close hard enough? Another candidate had more recent experience? If you’re not getting feedback, ask a recruiter or contact: “I’m committed to improving. I’d appreciate any honest feedback—even a sentence or two—about what kept me from being the top choice.” 2. Refine Your Closing Strategy Many great candidates fail to ask for the job or restate their fit at the end. In finals, always end with something like: “I’m very excited about this role and confident I’d be a top performer in your team. Is there anything holding you back from seeing me as the right fit for this position?” It shows confidence, coachability, and clarity. (Most candidates don’t do this.) 3. Practice Storytelling & STAR Responses Hiring managers want to know: Can you sell? Can you work autonomously? Can I trust you with a tough territory? They judge this through your stories. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for: Tough customer wins Navigating access or formulary issues Handling a territory turnaround Working with a difficult HCP or team Get tight on 4–6 high-impact stories that you can flex based on the question. 4. Speak to the Role’s Pain Points Before the final, ask: “Is there anything specific the hiring manager is looking for in this person that I should be aware of?” Then tailor your responses to directly match those priorities. Make it feel like: “This candidate is already thinking like they’re on the team.” 💡 5. Control the Narrative About Any Gaps or Changes If you’ve been out of pharma, changed industries, or had job gaps—don’t let that hang in the air awkwardly. Confidently own your story. Example: “I stepped away for a time to [brief reason], but I’m more focused and committed than ever to bringing my experience and drive back to pharma.” Hiring managers want clarity, not perfection. 6. Follow Up with Purpose After the final interview: Send a customized thank-you email that: Recaps why you’re the right fit Mentions something specific from the conversation Expresses gratitude and energy 7. Stay Mentally Strong Between Rounds Getting close but not closing can cause burnout or self-doubt. Don’t spiral. The fact that you’re consistently getting finals means: Your resume is strong Your experience is valued You’re in the top 5–10% of applicants Small tweaks in presence, energy, or storytelling can make the difference. Hannah Morgan

📱 My phone’s been blowing up lately—colleagues on both sides of the hiring game are venting about the same thing. Job seekers can’t land roles, and hiring managers can’t find people who actually stay. About half of my network who were job-hunting have found something, but the other half are still stuck in the grind. Meanwhile, companies tell me that even when they do make a hire, retention is a nightmare—new employees are bouncing within six months. The disconnect is real: companies are hiring, candidates are applying, but something is clearly broken. Traditional hiring—bloated job descriptions, ATS black holes, and never-ending interview rounds—is failing everyone. So, what needs to change? 🔄 Here’s what I’ve seen work: ✅ Ditch the ATS Dependence – Get back to human recruiting instead of relying on keyword filters. ✍️ Fix Job Descriptions – Make them clear, real, and relevant—cut the jargon. 🤝 Prioritize Personal Connections – Hiring managers should actively engage instead of passively posting. 🎯 Focus on Skills, Not Just Titles – Look at what candidates can actually do, not just where they’ve been. ⏳ Speed Up the Process – The best talent won’t wait around for a four-week approval cycle. 💬 Improve the Candidate Experience – Give real feedback and make the process transparent. Here’s a real-world fix I put in place: At a previous company, the hiring pipeline was a mess—ATS filters blocked great candidates, and the process dragged on. I introduced a referral-first hiring approach, tapping employees’ networks before posting publicly. We also replaced multiple early-stage screenings with a 30-minute call with the hiring manager. 📉 Time-to-hire dropped 35% 🎯 Quality of hires improved—better fits, fewer regrets 📈 Retention rates increased—candidates knew exactly what they were signing up for 🔑 Bottom line: Hiring is broken, but it doesn’t have to be. The best hires come through real connections, not algorithms. What’s been your biggest hiring (or job search) frustration lately? Drop a comment 👇 #Hiring #Recruiting #JobSearch #TalentStrategy #HR #FutureOfWork

Old school talent acquisition 💾; → Make candidates jump through 5 interview stages to get a role → Start the process when you needed this person yesterday → Ask why people want to work for you in the first interview → Brief a recruitment agency when things get desperate → List your requirements like a shopping list → Post a job with boilerplate company info → Look for people with side hustles → Make people add a cover letter Talent acquisition 2.0 🚀; ↳ Create role-level value propositions that speak to the target audience ↳ Show the recruitment process up-front on your ads/careers page ↳ Show under the hood of your culture by posting regular updates ↳ Be nice and be authentic, an interview is not an interrogation ↳ Keep the process punchy, 4 stages (absolute max) ↳ Be proactive, not reactive, start talent pipelining ↳ Put ‘what's in it for them’ up top ↳ Make it easy to apply Anything I’m missing?

A job seeker came to me after 3.5 months of job searching with the following data: 180 applications submitted 12 screenings 1 referral 5 interviews 1 final round 0 offers After reviewing the data, I found that their job search was actually performing well in some areas but had key bottlenecks: - Strong application-to-screening rate Their resume and portfolio were doing well, getting them past the initial stage. - Good screening-to-interview rate Their performance in behavioral and situational questions was above average. - Weak interview-to-final round conversion  This indicated a struggle with: Technical rounds – Not demonstrating enough depth in core skills. Alignment with job descriptions – Answers weren’t tailored to the company’s needs. Surface-level responses – Not showcasing impact or real-world application of skills. The plan to improve: If I were coaching them, I’d focus on three key strategies: 𝟭) 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 Develop an interview strategy to explain technical and soft skills in-depth. Relate answers directly to the job description and company goals for higher impact. Use structured responses like the STAR method, but emphasize impact and problem-solving. 𝟮) 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 Daily practice of technical questions tailored to their target roles. Mock interviews to simulate real-world scenarios. Feedback loops to refine and improve responses. 𝟯) 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 Increase outreach to professionals in their industry. Leverage networking and informational interviews to gain more referrals. Prioritize companies where referrals hold more weight. Key Points: ✔️ Data-driven job search analysis helps pinpoint areas that need improvement. ✔️ Fixing interview bottlenecks is often the key to securing more final rounds and offers. ✔️ Referrals still matter even in markets where they aren’t as strong as in the US or Canada. ✔️ Daily practice and structured preparation make a big difference in interview performance. By focusing on these areas, They could significantly increase their final round conversions and land a job faster. Have questions about your job search or how to break into data roles? Drop them in the comments, or send me a message. Let's get you to your next role! ------------------------ ➕Follow Jaret André  for more daily data job search tips.

I am starting to hear it daily from candidates we are trying to help. Candidates, especially those with disabilities, are becoming disillusioned. See, the thing is, it is ridiculously short-sighted. I know what companies are thinking at the moment: there are a lot of candidates out of work, big numbers. We have the pick of masses. Just because you have a big number to pick from doesn't mean you can afford to drop your standards and think you can have a slap-dash recruitment process. It will come back to bite you. Do you know why? It's because the tides will turn again. It always does in recruitment. At some point, there will not be as many candidates to hire, and it's these times that people will remember. Candidates talk, and news travels fast. They remember the bad experience way more than the good experience. For candidates with disabilities, these experiences can be even more impactful. An inclusive and accessible recruitment process is not just about fairness; it's about respect and common courtesy. Here are some steps to make the process more inclusive: 1. Accessible Job Descriptions: Ensure job descriptions are available in accessible formats, including screen reader-compatible text and large print versions. 2. Inclusive Communication: Use clear, simple language and provide multiple ways for candidates to reach out or ask questions. 3. Flexible Interview Formats: Offer alternatives such as virtual interviews, written responses, or extended time for assessments. 4. Physical Accessibility: Ensure interview locations are accessible, including ramps, elevators, and accessible restrooms. 5. Assistive Technologies: Provide necessary assistive technologies for candidates during interviews and assessments. 6. Training for Hiring Teams: Educate hiring teams on disability awareness and inclusive practices. 7. Feedback Mechanism: Establish a feedback mechanism where candidates can share their experiences and suggest improvements. So let’s clean up our act and start putting candidate experience first. Prioritizing accessibility and inclusivity can lead to a richer, more diverse workforce and a stronger organizational reputation. A respectful, inclusive process is common courtesy. Cheers ID: "A social media post by Puneet Singh Singhal with the handle @puneetsiinghal. The post reads, 'Excluding talent due to inaccessible hiring practices is short-sighted and costly. #DisabilityPrideMonth'" #DisabilityPrideMonth #SDGs #AXSChat #Accessibility #Equity #Hiring #HR #Leadership #WeAreBillionStrong

Reintroducing Humanity into the Hiring Process: 7 Key Principles 1- Avoid Ghosting – Every applicant deserves a response. Silence erodes trust and respect. 2- Communicate Transparently – Set clear expectations about the recruitment process, including timelines and next steps. 3- Maintain Warmth in Communication – Engage personally with candidates rather than relying solely on automated systems. Recruitment is about people, not just processes. 4- Value Candidates' Time – Only proceed with interviews if there is a genuine interest in the candidate. Don’t waste their time if they're not a serious contender. 5- Streamline Interview Rounds – Avoid unnecessary, prolonged interview rounds. Respect the candidate's time by making the process efficient and purposeful. 6- Be Willing to Take a Chance – Recognize that experience isn’t everything. Many skills can be taught on the job. Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves, just as we all once needed a break to begin our careers. 7- Look Beyond the Resume – Candidates are more than just their qualifications. Invest the effort to understand their full story, not just what's on paper. Every job application represents a person who is navigating the often stressful and challenging journey of job searching. It is vital to remember that, at any time, any of us could be on the other side of the process. By treating candidates with the dignity, respect, and empathy they deserve, we not only improve the hiring experience but also cultivate relationships built on trust and mutual respect.