The Hiring Report
Issue 37 - May  2009
The Pittman Group
Memphis, TN

- Sign Up for The Hiring Report




For comments, questions
or future topic suggestions, contact askmelinda@thepittmangroup.com


- Search Candidates

- Post Jobs

- Contact Us

Know someone who could
benefit from the information
in the article? Please forward
this report to them.

The Never-Ending Interview Process 

This is the fourth in a series of five articles in our "Common Hiring Mistakes" series. This series is the result of a brainstorming session that I attended with four other select recruiters from a variety of markets. We decided to document our discussions and share them in our newsletters.

You've decided to bring on a new person, written a realistic job description, determined the qualities you want in this person, and put together a great sales presentation to attract them. So what's next? Just do it!
 
Timely candidate acquisition will vary depending upon the nature of the position to be filled, so we'll focus on what needs to be done once you have candidate flow. It's often said among recruiters that "time kills all deals" and "anything that drags will get dirty." What we think is incidental might very well matter to the candidate. Remember, perception is reality.
 
When you interviewed last, was the company and its decision makers timely and decisive or did the process seem to drag on forever?  People like companies where decisions are made in a timely manner. This prompts a couple of questions. Do you have an efficient and effective interview process, and second, is this process effectively communicated to all the participants, including the candidates?
 
Each situation will vary from company to company and position to position. Candidate acquisition and the availability of interviewers are always variables and deviation usually translates into a lost hire. Some things to keep in mind when setting up your interview/hiring process include the following: 
 
  • Determine a realistic timeline for the hire, taking into consideration candidate acquisition time, along with the availability of those participating in the process.
  • Communicate the new job description to all the interviewers so they can adequately prepare for the interviews.
  • Keep your interview process efficient and concise.  Conduct initial phone screens between the hiring manager and potential candidates in order to determine viability.(This is also a great time to discuss expectations of the process with the candidate).
  • Make sure the time between the receipt of the candidate's application and the initial contact by a company official is timely. This is a critical time period in the process.
  • Keep all your on-site interviews efficient. Make certain that all the decision makers and influencers are available to interview candidates on the same day. This applies to the work facility, corporate, or any other site.
  • Make sure all the interviewers are fully prepared. Many times, the process can get bogged down by a participant who does not have the requisite skills to properly prepare for an interview, and as a result, is not readily available. We've put together some "Fundamentals of Interviewing" that we would be happy to share with those managers that will facilitate the process.
  • Finally, when the interview process is complete, make a decision and offer the job to your number-one candidate. If they don't accept it, offer it to your number-two and number-three until you've exhausted your pool of viable candidates.

If you have any specific questions regarding unique situations your company is experiencing, or if you have any difficulty after following your process for filling the position, please do not hesitate to contact us (melinda@thepittmangroup.com). We'll be happy to work with you in establishing an efficient process that will ensure success.

Copyright 2009 The Pittman Group
If you wish to cancel your subscription to this newsletter click here