Talent acquisition enables organisations to accomplish their mission, goals, vision, and core values. Organisations are as good as their talent.
Organisations that fail to attract and retain employees with the requisite skills and attitudes will always sink six feet under.
Various interviewing methods, such as structured interviews, unstructured interviews, and behavioural interviews, among others, are used to find the best-qualified candidate who fits the job description.
The principal aim of any job interview is to select the best-qualified candidate for the role. A substandard interview will result in onboarding employees who may not perform well.
Just as we need competent candidates, we also require well-trained and experienced interviewers. An interview that lacks structure will fail to identify deserving candidates.
It is easy to notice when interviewers have not rehearsed and practised for the moment. This is why interviewers need to undergo professional training to select the best applicants.
What are the signs of a bad interviewer that will attract unproductive hires? The first indicator of a bad interviewer is a lack of preparation.
You can often notice a lack of adequate preparation from the interviewers, such as unfamiliarity with an in-depth understanding of the candidate’s curriculum. A lack of role clarity among interviewers can significantly impair the interview process.
Interviewers expect prospective applicants to be expert timekeepers. Sadly, some do not adhere to this standard. It is poor employer branding for interviewers to arrive late, as it creates a negative interview experience.
Additionally, allocating too little or too much time for the interview can lead to undesirable effects. Each segment of the interview should be given a reasonable amount of time.
Just as interviewers may complain about applicants with poor attitudes, some interviewers bring corrosive attitudes to the assessment.
The list of negative attitudes during recruitment is long and includes disdain, disinterest, arrogance, impatience, lack of empathy, and outright prejudice. There is also body language that can be off-putting to the candidate’s experience.
Examples include a lack of eye contact, crossed arms or legs, distracted or fidgety behaviour, checking the time frequently, slouching posture, not smiling or showing emotion, interrupting or talking over the candidate, leaning away, excessive note-taking, aggressive or hostile facial expressions, unresponsive or minimalistic responses, and erratic body language. Body language plays a significant role in communication.
What about interviewers who lack thorough knowledge of the job description? If interviewers do not have a complete understanding of the job description, unsuitable applicants may be selected.
Understanding the job description is a hallmark of professional interviewing.
Have you ever experienced interviews disrupted by frequent interruptions from outside the room? These interruptions can disrupt the flow of the assessment, potentially leading to the selection of an unqualified candidate.
When a candidate’s questions are dodged, it creates an unpleasant candidate experience.
The capacity to attract top-tier candidates has to be so critical that a serious investment has to be made, especially in training interviewers and creating a great interview ambience for maximum experience.
Magoma is an Award-Winning HR Professional and Trainer. [email protected]
