Hiring Best Practices: Onsite Interview Guide for Employers

Hiring Best Practices: Onsite Interview Guide for Employers - What to Do When a Candidate Walks in Your Office

Most employers dread interviews. We know. We see it every day! However, on-site interviews are essential. And with some tips from us, you will be a pro and get the candidates that you want! Some of these may seem elementary, but this should prove to be a good reminder the next time a candidate steps into your office.

The overall vision is to make the every candidate that walks in your office love you! It may sound cheesy, but it should be your mentality. Here are some best practices for your next onsite interview:

We agree that it is crazy we need to remind people about this, but we do. An old strategy was to let them know the good, bad and the ugly. And if they still wanted the job, great! This is not the current best practice. While every company has some not so optimal areas, there is no need to talk about these during this interview. Instead, focus on the positive aspects of the company and the role. This will help to create a positive and engaging environment and may increase the candidate's interest in the position.

Tell the candidate why you love working there and sell them on the company! This is an essential aspect of on-site interview best practices. It is important to show the candidate why your company is a great place to work and to create a positive and engaging environment. Highlight the company's mission, values, and culture, and explain why you enjoy working there.

This is a simple yet important aspect of on-site interview best practices. It is essential to be punctual and ready to start the interview at the scheduled time. Being late can create a negative impression and may cause the candidate to feel disrespected. Example: We had one hiring manager make the candidate wait 50 minutes to start the interview. Not a great way to make a candidate want to work for you!

We get it - you are important and things are happening. However, the number of interviewees that get turned off by interviewers who are “not paying attention” is a large one. Close your computer and give the candidate your undivided attention. I would rather you have a 15-minute “all-in” interview than a 45-minute one where you are “multitasking”. This is a real turnoff for a candidate.

It is important to engage with the candidate and show genuine interest in what they have to say. Avoid interrupting them or monopolizing the conversation. Instead, actively listen and ask follow-up questions to gain a better understanding of their skills, experience, and potential.

Avoid asking unnecessarily difficult questions. While it is important to assess the candidate's skills and experience, it is equally important to create a comfortable and non-threatening environment. Avoid asking overly challenging questions that may cause the candidate to feel intimidated or uncomfortable. This used to be the “strategy” - to throw them off guard and ask hard stuff to see how they rebound. Nowadays, great candidates hate this and reject these companies.

If you determine to bring the candidate back in for a follow up interview - plan that for the next couple of days. Do not wait until the next week. You have a very high chance of losing your candidate if that next interview isn’t FAST. Some larger companies like Chick-fil-A can do this, but most small businesses cannot do this with great success.

If you are looking to hire, we can help with that. We are really great at it and you probably hate it. So let's work together! My email is [email protected]