Job Interviews: The Perfect Time For Your Employer Brand To Shine

Job interviews. We’ve all had one, or more!

The majority of us will have experienced a formal, structured job interview. We get asked questions such as ‘Where do you see yourself in 5 years?’ ‘What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses’, and ‘what are your salary expectations?’. We go through a rigid five stage interview process, undertake psychometric testing, and everything in between.

With the introduction of digital and online working, the interview process has evolved. Add in the talent shortage and the challenging hiring landscape and organisations quickly realised they needed to change. Now, employers are realising that they need to differentiate themselves from their competitors and are continually looking for new ways to stand out in the crowd.

“Organisations can easily stand out through their talent interviewing process.”

The job interview is the first opportunity you have to find out about your potential future hire, deep dive into their skill set, the value they can add, their cultural fit, motivations, etc.

It's important not to forget: candidates are interviewing you too.

It’s a crucial part of the interview process. It’s a chance to give candidates a look under the hood, find out who you really are, and help them to understand why they should join your business.

As recruiters, we constantly hear about the good, the bad and the ugly — from both hiring managers and our candidates.

Employers, if you want to hire successfully, here's what you should be ready to talk about in your talent interviews:

Your unique story: No two businesses are the same. Don’t be afraid to share how you got to where you are today —  the highs, the lows and be honest! Genuine passion and love for a brand is refreshing to candidates. They want to join a team where people are committed to its success and are invested.

Your EVP (Employee Value Proposition): Since Covid we have seen a shift in the reasons for candidates wanting to move roles. Flexibility, health and wellbeing initiatives, and work from anywhere are some of the key factors that will only grow in demand. Candidates are looking for roles that will work for them and their lifestyle, so show them what you can offer.

Remuneration: Transparency is always key! We often find businesses low balling offers at the final hurdle and this can be detrimental to not just this process but to future hiring. Businesses need to communicate their expectation upfront and ensure this matches the value the candidate can add.

Job Interview Length: Interviewing is almost like another full-time job. Candidates are typically involved in multiple processes and are extremely time poor. It’s important to ensure that the process is long enough for them to meet the relevant team members and gain insight – but not make them jump through hoops.

In our recent poll on LinkedIn, the results were clear. Most candidates only want a maximum of three interviews (29%) (or the preferred sweet spot of two rounds of interviews (49%)).

Your Growth Goals: Deep dive into your business’ short and long-term goals and growth plans. Plan out the strategic hires you need to achieve these goals but remember, this relates to the talent as well.

Training and Development: Personalised training and opportunities for learning is key to an individual’s success. Be ready to discuss how this will look for them, where you see their gaps or key skills, who will be their mentor or buddy, etc. 

The company grows when your employees grow. Talent need to see you have a vested interest in their development.

Giving Back: Talent want to see how you give back and contribute to your community: Diversity and Inclusion, equal pay and accessibility are just a few topics we’ve focused on as a business and many others are too. If you have identified areas for improvement or have started to implement new initiatives actively, people will want to know!

Remember: You represent your employer brand and you’re an expert on your business. Be ready to discuss any of the above and more.  

If you don’t know the answers, then how will you convince them that your organisation is the one to join?

There is no right, wrong or ‘perfect way’ to carry out your hiring process, but businesses need to be constantly striving to improve. The level of care businesses put into their job interviews tells candidates a lot. And love it or hate it, first impressions matter. 

Hiring and need help? Get in touch with one of our Aquent UK team.

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