🗣️ What We’re Hearing from Candidates: Interview Process
This is the 4th installment of the What we’re hearing from candidates recruiting blog series where we share what we’re hearing from conversations with job hunting candidates about why they’re looking for a new role right now and what’s important to them. Follow us on LinkedIn or Instagram @envisioninclusion to never miss an update!
One common theme we've noticed in our recent discussions is that candidates are seeking reasonable interview processes. In the current layoff-heavy job market, candidates are applying to more jobs, communicating with recruiters more frequently, and managing multiple interview processes simultaneously. While candidates want to respect your process, they also want to move through processes efficiently. Recently we've heard stories about extra long or extraneous interview processes that have left us scratching our heads.
Here are two excellent reminders direct from our candidates:
💡 Screen for skills that are relevant to the role.
One candidate told us that they applied to a company and within hours they had received a response enthusiastically asking them to complete a pre-screening quiz. The test was timed, and would take about 30 minutes to complete. The candidate felt this was a reasonable ask, and went ahead with the evaluation. They quickly realized that the quiz was hardly relevant to the role to which they applied. It left the candidate confused as to what the expectations were for the role, and questioning whether the company had just completely wasted their time.
Typically following the initial phone screen, technical assessments have become an expected part of the interview process, focused on assessing the key skills the candidate will need to be successful in the role. Candidates have stressed how important it is for hiring teams to review each question carefully and ensure that every question has a purpose. For instance, if you are recruiting for a mid-level recruiter, relevant questions would focus on building diverse pipelines, relationship building with hiring managers, or the candidate experience. Questions about building performance management systems or organizing a leadership team offsite would be unreasonable. While these aren’t as bizarre and irrelevant as, say, Google’s past “brain teaser” interview questions, they don’t advance your understanding of the candidate’s ability to be a good Recruiter. If you are utilizing a technical screen to assess skills, ensure every question is relevant to the role. Candidates will thank you!
💡 You’ll lose candidates if your process is too long or too slow.
We understand that there are many reasons why processes are taking longer than usual right now, including:
High volume of applicants: This can be especially true for popular or highly competitive positions, where there may be hundreds of qualified applicants.
Availability of multiple decision-makers: In some cases, a candidate may need to meet with several different individuals or teams before a final decision is made, which can lead to a longer overall timeline. The availability of decision makers can impact the length of an interview process. Scheduling interviews around the availability of the candidate, the hiring manager, and other decision-makers can be a challenge, especially if there are multiple rounds of interviews or if key stakeholders have busy schedules. This can cause delays and make the interview process take longer than expected.
However, in an ideal world, candidates can make it through the entire interview process in 2-3 weeks.
Here are 3 strategies companies can use to speed up interview processes:
Set clear expectations: Setting clear expectations with candidates about the interview process can also help speed things up. For example, companies can provide a timeline for when candidates can expect to hear back after each round of interviews, and they can communicate the number of interview rounds upfront. We’ve heard many stories of long interview processes that drag a month or more, with additional steps added out of nowhere, only to end in rejection.
Empower hiring managers: Empowering hiring managers to make decisions quickly can also speed up the interview process. This might mean giving them more autonomy to make hiring decisions, or providing them with the resources and tools they need to assess candidates more efficiently.
Simplify the interview process: Finally, companies can simplify the interview process to make it more efficient. This might mean reducing the number of interview rounds, conducting multiple interviews on the same day, or using assessment tools to streamline the interview process.
Many candidates that are looking for work right now are flat out refusing to partake in 6-, 7-, or 8+ step processes. By implementing these strategies, companies can speed up the interview process and ensure that they don't lose out on top talent due to a lengthy or cumbersome hiring process.
For interview prep, check out 10 tips for remote interviewing and tips for how to ace your next interview.
