Whether a vacancy arises due to the resignation of an employee or as a result of company expansion, the recruitment process is a complex one. This situation can be managed in such a variety of ways that if handled professionally, it can bring diversity and new direction to a company but if carried out hastily with little consideration for the role or the candidates, it can result in the appointment of unsuitable employees, which in turn can create highly unfavourable working environments.
While managers are often capable of identifying inconsistencies in applicant CVs and know that their ultimate aim is to hire the best possible applicant for a role, the skills that are often weakest relate to the interviewing process and more specifically, how to assess which applicants have the most to offer and are the most suitable after interviews have taken place.
One of the most effective ways to ensure that you manage the recruitment of new personnel effectively is to conduct an ‘interview review.’ This relies upon detailed note taking during each interview and a thorough analysis of these notes as soon as possible after the interview. Use a checklist or scoring system not only to assess relevant characteristics, skills and experiences, but also to judge the likelihood of candidates fitting in with the company and existing staff. By doing this you will find yourself in a better position to make a hiring decision and will have a comprehensive record of each interview to refer to as a first point of call for future vacancies. This can serve the additional purpose of documentation to support your decision in the event of it being disputed.
By taking notes, you will also minimise the amount that your ‘gut feeling’ adversely affects your judgement, helping to come to the best hiring decision for your business. Ensure that you document as much of the interview as possible - remember that under the Data Protection Act, candidates are entitled to see notes taken on them. Making snap judgements usually means you are reacting to your to your own prejudices rather than the suitability of the candidate for the role, so use factual notes and evidence to identify which candidate best fits the selection criteria. While deciding whether personal traits exhibited match the company’s existing culture is acceptable, ensure you are able to justify your final decision.
Consider what information the individual gives in their answers and make notes about their suitability for the role throughout. Have a list of criteria that are essential for the successful applicant and note ways that candidates demonstrate evidence of these skills - using a scoring system to grade the skill level will allow you to make comparisons between candidates.
The candidates you see first and last will be those you will be able to remember the most clearly, so by summarising your notes after each interview - while it is still fresh in your mind - you will minimise the extent to which this affects your judgement. It is important to make every effort to select a candidate fairly. If you fail to focus on selection criteria, choosing the best candidate will be more difficult so it’s a good idea to decide beforehand how the final decision will be made. This is where the scoring system is particularly useful, as weighted scores for attributes allow you to make the fairest comparisons.
It is absolutely essential that you consider the legal implications of the decision that is made. You must not interview in a way that discriminates on grounds of race, colour, marital status, belief, age, sexual orientation, gender or nationality and it is illegal to treat people with disabilities differently. This includes the selection process prior to interviews: It is illegal not to invite someone to interview for any of the above reasons, unless it would directly inhibit their ability to do the job safely and competently.
Variations of the standard interview can provide further support for an interview review: by conducting a panel interview along with colleagues you can obtain a balanced opinion of a candidate’s suitability for the role and reduce subjective bias; carrying out a series of second stage interviews gives you the chance to re-assess potential candidates, allowing you to confirm or dismiss your initial thoughts; and practical/technical assessments provide you with a good opportunity to identify which candidate best demonstrates the key competencies that you are looking for.
Conducting an effective interview review not only enables you to select the right candidate for the role, but can also be used to provide unsuccessful applicants with constructive feedback, helping them to improve on how they perform during an interview for the next stage of their job search. If competition for the post has been intense, providing constructive feedback is an excellent way to maintain the best possible relationship with unsuccessful applicants so that they can be considered for any similar vacancies that might arise in the future. It also assures the reputation of your company within the industry.
An effective interview review can also be used when working with a recruitment consultant to find a suitable candidate. As well as using your consultant as a mediator between you and the candidate so that they can pass on your comments honestly and constructively, you can also use an effective interview review to illustrate reasons that candidates were not offered the position and therefore increase the recruitment consultant’s understanding of your hiring needs. Using an agency will also mean that you are not responsible for relaying bad news to unsuccessful candidates - this often unfavourable task is part of the service provided.
Clearly the more information you can give your consultancy about why applicants have or have not been selected, the greater their understanding will be of the kinds of skills you are looking for and the more efficient their service will be in the future.
Finally, consider the interview review not just as a tool for aiding your decision-making abilities, but also as a way to deliver feedback and improve the success you achieve through an agency. The interview itself is a way to obtain information about applicants, but how this information is used to help you select a suitable employee depends largely on how the information is analysed.