Candidate interviews are probably the most underrated yet one of the most meaningful processes for any organization. Therefore, companies should approach it as a well-structured, goal-driven, and candidate-centric process that improves the acceptance rate of offer letters.

When the purpose of interviews is inclined toward gathering the correct information about potential candidates, it can offer organisations adequate evidence to make suitable hiring decisions. Here are some tips to assist you in creating a top-notch interview process that can increase the chance of desired candidates accepting your company's offer!

Improve Job Descriptions:

Long, drawn-out job descriptions, full of jargon that does not explain exactly what is expected from an employee, are best avoided. Likewise, stuffing a job description with multiple expectations (skills, educational qualification, experience etc.) that very few can fulfill will probably fail to evoke a positive response from potential candidates. Remember, organizational needs tend to change and evolve with new business objectives, and your company's job descriptions must reflect such changes. 

For example, a business development manager's role may evolve from building a strong sales team and focusing on outbound leads to providing current salespersons with growth opportunities through targeted training and generating inbound leads for improved customer experience. The job description for both scenarios will differ significantly, demanding more than just a tweak in an already existing job description.

So, what should a job description look like? It should be precise, leaning towards the role and responsibilities of the employee and listing essential information that can help the potential candidate decide whether to proceed or not. It is prudent to note down the exact skills you want the candidate to possess. For instance, "adept at the latest technologies" could be considered vague. Instead, "good knowledge of C++, Python, and Java" is more precise and can help better filter candidates.

Ask Relevant Questions:

Bombarding a candidate with a list of questions that hardly serve the purpose of the role may not give you the information you need to make the right decision. Additionally, the candidate might feel discouraged and find the interview process draining and weary. Instead, focus more on creating a conversational flow for the interview while keeping questions crisp and relevant to what is required to perform the job. 

Ask questions that can gauge the skills and interest level of the candidate. 'Why do you want to work here?' is a question that can elicit the required information from them and give you an insight into what the candidate wants from the role. It is best to avoid questions that are considered more personal, such as "Do you have children?", 'Do your parents live with you?', etc. Similarly, hypothetical questions such as 'Will you change cities if our office relocates?" is simply unnecessary, especially if you do not already have an office in another city.

Have the Goal Conversation:

Providing potential candidates with job roles that excite them and help your organization grow is every recruiter's dream come true. However, such a scenario cannot be achieved unless you have an open conversation with candidates regarding their career goals. It is essential to understand the level of motivation to achieve these goals as it gives you a sense of the compatibility levels between the potential candidate and the organization. Additionally, in today's times, where job hopping is a rather popular trend, the recruiter must try and understand the potential longevity of the employment.

Encourage Questions from Them:

Lastly, provide potential candidates an open floor to ask questions and allow them to learn more about you and the organization. Candidates should feel comfortable and confident to ask questions or clear any doubts they may have in mind. Create a safe space for them by inviting whatever they may be interested to know regarding the role, company, potential for growth, etc. If anything, questions from the other party in an interview are a positive sign of enthusiasm and genuine interest, a great trait and something you would want potential employees to possess.

More often than not, the roots of bad hiring decisions lie right in front of us in the form of a deeply unstructured and haywire interview process. That is why sharpening your company's interview process is of utmost importance, especially in the current hiring scenario, where landing great hires is quite rare.