Don’t Do These 4 Things When Interviewing Candidates
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You have been looking for suitable candidates for months, and finally, you have secured the interview. You thought the interview was good, but the best candidate declined when you offered them the job.
What went wrong? Here are four red flags that interviewers are responsible for:
1. Speak negatively about your former or current employees
The interviewer should never talk negatively about the person the candidate would be replacing.
Speaking negatively about your employees indicates that there is a severe issue within your organisation.
Of course, it could just be a cause of one bad apple who does not reflect the company culture, but if the interviewer is an HR manager, then this person is representing your company.
Sometimes, even the management is guilty of this behaviour. For instance, they would say, "Ahmad should not be in his role; he's not qualified," or "Jamal is not qualified for her job; he's an administrator that just got raises and promotions because nobody knew better."
2. The interviewer does not give the full picture
There are also hiring managers who prefer to keep the candidates in the dark and be vague about the interview's details.
For example, a hiring manager contacted a candidate saying he would like to set up a phone interview. Yet, when the candidate looked up the company address, a different business name or address came up instead.
Be sure to provide all the necessary details for the candidate, such as the company address, even if you are trying to set up a phone interview.
If possible, whenever you conduct an interview by phone or video, try not the reschedule the interview too many times and dodge questions about company location.
Job candidates find it hard to trust a company representative who cannot provide a straight answer to a straightforward question.
3. The interviewer shows bias
Discriminating against job candidates is not just a red flag, it's also illegal. However, there could be other signs of bias, and an interviewer should always mind what they say so they won't make the candidate feel uncomfortable.
Refrain from making remarks such as "thick accents" or "You're so hard to understand".
4. The interviewer talks too much
A job interview is a two-way street. It is not just for the interviewer to assess the candidate's qualifications; it is also for them to learn more about your company and see whether it is a good fit for them.
Be aware of how much you speak, and refrain from showing your annoyance if a candidate asks many questions.
An interviewer should always give the candidate the space to speak and ask questions because they could always find another interview if they feel that your company doesn't have what it takes.