Things Every Employer Should Know about the Interview Process

Here’s what they found:

Your interview process plays an important role in your offer acceptance rates:

• 97% of professionals said that their overall interview experience was important in their decision to join a company.
• 83% said a negative interview experience could change their mind about a role or company they liked.
• 87% said a positive interview experience could change their mind about a role or company they doubted.

The interview process is an important step in your recruitment program because it allows you and your candidates to get to know one another. Particularly with the current talent shortage, an interview is an opportunity to show candidates why they should work for you instead of any other available option. When it comes time to submit an offer, a positive interview experience can help you close your top choice candidate.

Your hiring manager makes a big impact on the interview experience:

• 53% of professionals said that the hiring manager was the most important person in determining whether they had a positive interview experience.
• 17% said an executive was important in determining a positive interview experience.
• 14% said a team member was important in determining a positive interview experience.
• 8% said the recruiter was important in determining a positive interview experience.

Your hiring managers play an important role in your ability to hire great talent, but it’s important to remember that recruiting isn’t their full-time job. Share interview tips with your hiring managers to help them provide a great interview experience for your candidates. If your candidates meet with executives and team members as well, also provide them with some coaching.

Candidates are interviewing you just as much as you are interviewing them:

• 49% of professionals said that getting business questions answered was important to having a positive experience.
• 46% said having a conversation with leadership was important to their experience.
• 41% said experiencing company culture was important.

Top-tier candidates have a choice in where they work, and want to ensure a good fit just as much as you do. They’d like to get a well-rounded view of your company and culture, so it’s important schedule interviews with a variety of people on your team and to leave plenty of time for questions.

Interview feedback could impact your future talent pipeline:

• 94% of professionals want to receive interview feedback.
• 41% has received feedback before.
• 47% said receiving interview feedback was important to having a positive experience.
• Talent is 4x more likely to consider your company for a future opportunity when you offer them constructive feedback.

Most of your candidates want to receive interview feedback, but many don’t. This is a fantastic opportunity for your company to stand out. For every candidate you hire, you likely have to reject many others – so use that as an opportunity to leave a positive impression. Feedback can help your candidates improve for future interviews, and makes them more likely to consider future opportunities at your company.