Recruiting Tips: How to Prepare Your Candidate for Success

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Recruiting top talent is essential for organizations looking to thrive and innovate. However, the recruitment process is not just about finding the right candidates; it’s also about setting them up for success from the start. To ensure that your newly recruited talent not only joins your team but also excels in their roles, it is essential to implement effective strategies and practices.

In this article, members of the Duffy Group discuss practical strategies for creating a positive candidate experience, from crafting compelling job descriptions to conducting effective interviews and providing meaningful feedback. Read on to discover best practices and actionable tips that will help you attract, engage and retain top talent, preparing candidates for success in their new roles.

Table of Contents

Colleen Neese

You’ve confirmed an interview for your next career move, so the next thing to do is prepare for the next interview! Preparing for an interview is one of the critical steps in the process, but often candidates don’t know what to do. My recommendation is to review your CV and take the time to think about your experiences and skills as they relate to the job you are applying for. Write down some of your biggest accomplishments, deliverables and results.

Hiring managers and HR professionals don’t just want to know what your job responsibilities have been; they want to know how you’ve made a positive impact on the company. It is important to prepare with quantifiable results.

All candidates should be prepared to answer basic interview questions such as “Why are you interested in this position?” » or “What are your main achievements?” or “How would you describe your leadership style?” Many basic interview questions can be found on the Internet and used for practice.

It is also important to prepare for behavioral interview questions. These are usually multi-part questions that ask the candidate to share specific examples and results. The more you think about your results, the better prepared you will be to answer these types of questions, also called “SAR” questions: situation, action, result.

Colleen Neese is a practice leader at Duffy Group. She specializes in executive recruitment in the voluntary and health sectors.

Kristin Pozen

Woman Uses Interview Tips During Her Job Interview

Image from Bigstock

When arranging the client interview, I make sure my candidate has the correct address, directions, special parking or safety instructions, and who they should ask. I encourage them to arrive 15 minutes early and even encourage a drive to the location if time permits.

I always send back the job description and ask them to read it. They should develop questions based on the research they have done about the company and the job description.

I find out who will be on the interview panel and provide bios and LinkedIn profiles for the candidate to review. I want them to have a good understanding of the organizational chart within the team they are interviewing.

I schedule a debriefing time with my candidate within 24 hours of their client interview. I need to know not only how they felt about things, but also whether the client made any missteps that need to be corrected.

Sometimes there are multiple customer interviews. I repeat this process every time and stay in touch throughout all background and reference checks up to the offer stage. I pre-negotiate their offer so the client knows to make an attractive offer the first time. This helps speed up acceptance of the offer.

Kristin Pozen is a recruitment research recruiter at Duffy Group and a former HR recruiter.

Sharon Grace

A man smiles during his interview with executives

Image from Bigstock

If you’ve been in the job market in the last few months and were in the job market between 2020 and early 2023, you may notice that the interview process has changed. The interview process takes longer and has multiple stages, the decision-making process is slower, and there are more candidates to compete with, depending on the industry and role.

The past few years have been easy to get used to, with a high volume of vacancies and fast interview processes for most positions. If you changed jobs before 2020, then you know that the last few years have been far from normal. If you’re early in your career, you may not have much interview experience.

The market has been in a rebalancing cycle throughout the year. Most employers are still hiring, but not at the volume we’ve seen. Some companies interview for positions that are nice to fill but not essential. I will use the term selective hiring.

Here are some tips to give the employer a reason to hire you now, before you’re no longer on the market:

Virtual interviews: Most first interviews are still virtual for office and hybrid positions. Make sure your background is neat and professional looking.
Wardrobe: Always wear professional attire, including for virtual interviews; We are no longer in 2020! Attire varies by company and industry, but first impressions are important. How you present yourself can be as important as what you say. This applies to both candidates and hiring managers. The following is standard:
- For a woman: professional attire is preferable. A classic suit or dress is appropriate. Minimum quantities of jewelry and perfume. Elegant shoes with low heels are preferable.
- For a man: a classic blue or gray suit, long-sleeved shirt and tie are always preferable. (Ties and perhaps a jacket are generally optional in hot summer climates.) No jewelry other than a wedding ring and a watch.
- Take note of the importance of fit, color and age. Wear something that fits your body shape and nothing too baggy or too tight, wear colors that flatter you and make you feel good in, and don’t dress too old or too young.
Close: Because you look great and feel confident in your outfit, you developed a good rapport with the hiring manager, and the questions and answers flowed smoothly and felt more like a conversation; It’s time to apply for the job! Tell them you’re interested and why you’re a candidate.

Sharon Grace is a seasoned search manager at Duffy Group who helps hiring managers hire great people because of her proven track record as a strategic partner and advisor to recruit, identify and evaluate talent.

Need help recruiting talent for your organization? Check Duffy Group Today.

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