Key Elements of a Great Interview Experience

Do you have a top-notch hiring experience? If not, here’s how to fix it. A top-notch hiring experience starts with respect and honesty. Here’s how to create a process that leaves applicants impressed, whether or not they get the job: 1. Be Clear and Honest ↳ Write job descriptions that tell the truth. Skip the jargon and get specific about responsibilities, skills, and expectations. 2. Make Applying Easy ↳ Don’t overcomplicate it. Simplify forms and let candidates apply in minutes, not hours. Respect their time. 3. Communicate, Don’t Leave Them Waiting ↳ Keep applicants updated. Send a quick “We got your application” message and let them know if things take longer. 4. Respect Their Time in Interviews ↳ Plan focused interviews. Don’t waste time with endless rounds. Do your homework so no one has to repeat themselves. 5. Be Human and Friendly ↳ Treat every candidate like a potential teammate. Listen, smile, and make it a two-way conversation. 6. Show Them the Real Job ↳ Be honest about the highs and lows. Let them meet the team and see what they’re signing up for. 7. Give Them Feedback ↳ Share your thoughts after the process. A quick note about their strengths—or areas to grow—shows respect. 8. Add a Personal Touch ↳ Use their name, notice their skills, and send a thank-you after interviews. Small gestures make a big impact. 9. Decide and Act Quickly ↳ Don’t leave them in limbo. Welcome those who got the job and thank others sincerely. 10. Listen and Learn ↳ Ask for feedback on the process. Their insights will help you grow. A hiring experience like this isn’t hard to create, but it’s rare. Treat candidates well, and they’ll remember you, even if they don’t get the job. What’s the best—or worst—hiring experience you’ve ever had? Share below! ⬇️   ♻️ Repost to help your network. ➕Follow Ricardo Cuellar for more content like this.

Retaining top talent doesn’t start on Day 1. It starts with the interview process. Here’s why: A great interview experience lays the foundation for a strong, lasting working relationship. (And yet, so many companies miss the mark.) Here’s how to get it right: - Show, don’t tell. Your culture and values should shine through in how you treat candidates — not just in what you say. - Respect their time. Drawn out processes or unpaid assignments? A surefire way to lose top candidates. - Align your team. Every interviewer should be on the same page, presenting a unified message about the role and company. - Think long-term. Hire for the role you need today, and the one they’ll grow into tomorrow. - Be transparent. Real talk about challenges and expectations builds trust from the start. When candidates feel valued, respected, and informed, they’re not just more likely to join — they’re more likely to thrive and stay.

Candidates often express a critical perception about recruiters - "Recruiters don't care about me." Whether you are an in-house recruiter, talent acquisition professional, or a third-party recruiter, candidates feel you only care about filling a job, not about what is most important to them. To avoid proving them right, it's essential to conduct a broader, general interview to understand what must be in place for them to make a move. Great talent isn’t just looking for another job; they’re seeking the right career move that aligns with their professional and personal goals. Here are some actions to show candidates that you genuinely care during interviews: - Avoid pitching a job too quickly or focusing solely on a single opportunity. - Understand what matters most to the candidate for their next career step. - Never assume a candidate's current role reflects their desired future path. - Acknowledge and leverage both soft and hard skills of every candidate. - Always ask, "Is there anything about you that we haven't addressed that you want to share?" to uncover their priorities. By demonstrating your genuine interest in their aspirations, you differentiate yourself from other recruiters, increase referrals, and foster engagement and retention. Share your strategies for showing care during interviews to learn from each other!

Psst - guess what else is a two way street? Interview Prep! Recruiter friends, this one is for you and your hiring managers. Invest the time up front in documenting and discussing the interview plan. Using the job description as your guide, figure out the most critical skills and data you need to validate your hiring decisions. Include anyone involved in the interview process. Make sure everyone understands WHAT we’re look for and WHY. After the interview, use that initial discussion to drive your hiring decisions. Did we ask the right questions? Did we get postive feedback on the right criteria? Have we identified growth areas and determined where we can train or upskill upon hire? I could have talked about this for HOURS but I tried to get at least my high level points across in 12 minutes. Let me know what I missed. #Recruiting #InterviewPrep https://lnkd.in/g6WWXVPc

Hiring Managers: Just a quick reminder that your interview process says a lot about you. Candidates pay attention to how smooth or bumpy it goes. Some things to keep in mind: 1) Only require a cover letter if you truly read it and consider it when scheduling interviews. Otherwise, it's (past) time to get rid of it. If you do this as a test to see who is "committed and willing to put in the effort," stop. Just stop that. 2) Be clear on expectations and make sure the job posting/job description reasonably covers those expectations. (i.e. If the role requires 5 days in office or 1 week per month in office, say that. Don't bait and switch). 3) If you have 47 rounds of interviews, it's time to make a change. Ideally, you want to have 3-4 rounds of interviews. And you do not want to add a bunch of steps halfway through the process. Think it through before you begin interviews. 4) If HR is the first screen, please please please make sure they know how to sell your organization with excitement. HR should be prepared for someone to ask why they work there and what they like about the company. 5) Communicate well throughout the process and when it comes time to decide, do it with efficiency. Make a strong offer to the candidate you're most excited about having on the team. Most of these things boil down to treating others how you would want to be treated. #hiringmanagers #recruiting #generalcounsel