ATA Recruitment
Employers - get the most out of your interviews
With the latest figures stating that there are still 898,000 unfilled vacancies in the UK, the war for talent continues to rage, and this certainly still continues to be felt in UK manufacturing. With demand still massively out stripping supply, candidates have never had more choice when it comes to interviews and job offers. Most companies have reacted to this by increasing salaries to remain competitive, so what else can you do as an employer? Today we are going to focus on the candidate experience, and how you maximise your chances of securing the Engineer of your choice.
Book a room: This may seem obvious, but unfortunately this does get over looked and what impression does it create if they are kept waiting for a room to become available, or you end up in the canteen?
Make sure there is enough time in the diary: Managers are always under time pressure, but you need to make sure you can dedicate enough time to doing the interview justice. Rushing the interview either means you’ll make a poor assessment or the candidate will be left with more questions than answers.
Read the CV properly before hand: Take the time to think about what areas of the CV you want to explore and why. If you end up reading it during the interview as you didn’t have time beforehand, how attentive will you look in the interview? Will you miss valuable information the candidate gives you as you're reading rather than listening?
Ice-breaker: Not many Engineers would say they like interviewing. So, take the time to the time to put the candidate at ease. Do this and they will perform better.
Make sure the interview is a 2 way process: Naturally, the primary objective is for the interviewer is to make an assessment of the candidate vs what you want. However, you also need to make sure that the candidate walks away wanting to join your business so how do you do it?
Stay focussed: Be attentive to what they have to say, maintain good eye contact and keep your body language open. Remove distraction such as phones, don’t be checking your watch. The candidate needs to feel as though you are engaged with what they have to say.
Ask open questions: Try and avoid questions that start with “have you worked on” or “can you do” instead start with “what experience do you have with,” or “how would you go about fixing” it will always stimulate a better flow of conversation and mean you are more likely to get a full picture of a candidates capabilities. Also, by asking questions like “what are you looking for in your next career move” will allow to build a picture of what they are really after.
Listen: Listen to what the candidate says, and you’ll always make a better assessment.
Know your USPs: Take the time to tell them about what’s great about working for your business, yes money is important, but team/ business culture, training, development, progression are just as important.
Get to know them as a person: Build a personal relationship. We spend more time at work than we do at home, so the candidate needs to feel comfortable with you and the work environment.
Give them time to ask questions: Whether it’s 2 or 12, give them time to ask you questions. You may feel you have already told them why you are a great employer, but don’t assume you’ve covered it all. They should never leave an interview with unanswered questions, it may make the difference of whether they accept or not.
Feedback: Make sure you give constructive feedback within a reasonable timeframe (48 hours), whether you want to recruit the candidate or not they need to make sure they are left feeling the process was a positive one.
In today’s fiercely competitive job market, the key to securing top talent goes beyond offering attractive salaries—it requires a thoughtful, candidate-focused approach to interviewing. By refining your interview process to create a positive and engaging experience, you position your company as the employer of choice. Implement the tips we've highlighted, from effective preparation to genuine engagement, and you'll not only improve your ability to assess candidates but also enhance their opinion of you as an employer. Remember, every interview is an opportunity to build your brand and as well as hiring great talent for the future of your business.
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