Hiring Dos And Don'ts: How Employers Can Bring Their Best Foot Forward In Interviews

October 17, 2024 | Elizabeth Reyn, Studio B Writer

Finding the right person to fill a job opening is a two-way street. While some hiring managers may think it solely is up to the candidate to impress them, candidates may be reluctant to accept an offer if they were soured by any part of the interview process, leaving companies short-staffed. According to CareerPlug, 52% of candidates surveyed said that an unfavorable experience with a potential employer during the hiring process caused them to turn down a past job offer.

SelectLeaders Associate Director of Recruiting Katie Hart emphasized that employers should lead with empathy and understanding when going into each job interview.

“We’ve all been through the process of finding a job,” Hart said. “There’s a lot of pressure in these moments, and it’s important for employers to put themselves in the candidate’s place to do what they can to make the situation more comfortable.”

Read on to learn Hart’s insights into how employers can present themselves in the best light to prospective employees during the interview — and what behaviors they should avoid. 

Knowing who the necessary decision-makers will be, whether that be the CEO or the team’s department head, and what aptitude or skills tests will be required of the candidate helps streamline communication and allows companies to be upfront with interviewees. Hart suggested hiring managers set up a dedicated meeting to go over what the hiring process will look like before scheduling interviews so everyone is on the same page. 

As time is of the essence and candidates are likely interviewing at other companies simultaneously, Hart said, employers should also take time to debrief on candidates applications shortly after their interviews, and not take too much time getting back to them with a decision.

“Neither candidates nor hiring managers want to go through a 10-step interview process, so figuring out how you can achieve what you need to achieve in three or four steps is key to making the process intentional,” Hart said. “Timing is extremely important because dragging the process out doesn’t benefit anyone.”

Employers can start their relationships with applicants on a strong note by showing up on time and coming to the interview prepared with an agenda of what they want to cover. Hart recommended allocating an hour to touch on points such as the company’s background and the ins and outs of the role, while leaving time to ask questions about the candidate and for them to inquire about the role or company.

Employers can ask specific questions centered around the hard skills that will be required for the role as well as ask them questions such as “how do your current job responsibilities translate into this role?” or “what do your plans for growth look like?”

“By the time candidates get to this step they’re likely very excited to have this interview, so you also want to show enthusiasm for someone taking the time to interview with you,” Hart said. “Be sure to make the interview about the candidates and let them have the time to talk, to take in information without being rushed and ask questions.”

Hart stressed the importance of maintaining respect throughout the interview. If an interviewer feels that the candidate is the wrong fit for the role, they can politely end the interview early. 

Hiring managers should reach out to candidates within a day or two of the interview and let them know the status of their application. Even if they didn’t make it to the next round, they should still send a response, she said. The SelectLeaders dashboard offers a simple and direct way to reach out to candidates and let them know where they stand in the interview process.

Because employers have to assess each candidate in a limited time window, they may not get the full picture of how candidates would perform in their job. PsychologyTodayfound that 91% of what determines how well someone would be able to do a job is not discussed during interviews, partially because interviewers are thrown off by a candidate's appearance, speaking style or other superficial factors. 

Hart said that employers should avoid putting too much emphasis on seeing if someone would be a strong culture fit, as their judgment may be clouded by their own confirmation bias, or the process of looking for information that aligns with one’s own beliefs or experiences.

“As an interviewer, you should be focused on having people from different backgrounds who can provide different perspectives because that’s ultimately what’s going to help an organization grow,” Hart said. “It’s not so much about camaraderie, but what different skill sets someone can bring to the table. Those things can get lost if you’re just focused on rapport.”

She said that interviewers should also steer clear of illegal questions about protected classes, such as race, gender, age and other protected classes during the interview.

Employers can help leave a a positive impression on job seekers by partnering with CRE recruiting firm SelectLeaders to develop strategic hiring practices and access resources that will help them with interviewing and making the right decisions for their companies. Employers who use SelectLeaders can also leverage partnerships with Bisnow to source candidates. 

Through the SelectLeaders dashboard, employers can review resumes, reach out to applicants and keep them informed throughout each stage of the hiring process. 

Employers can use the SelectLeaders’ revamped website to create a profile that will serve as their “career center,” where they can post jobs, provide information to candidates about their company’s mission and vision and create a frequently asked questions page that can answer candidates’ questions.