The job-hunting process can be frustrating, daunting, and time-consuming but there are plenty of ways to improve this and make the process as smooth as possible. Recruiters and hiring managers must be adequately trained to ensure the process is efficient and relaxed for both candidates and for the companies involved.
They need to be knowledgeable and experienced and offer insight into many different situations and answer all sorts of questions.
Recruiters should be prepared to answer questions from candidates regardless of whether it’s in their area of expertise or not. There are general rules of thumb when engaging in any recruitment process or strategy including being open, honest, straightforward, and trying to give as much detail as possible. There are some questions that come up time and again, check these out before your next interview.
1. Do you need me to elaborate on or clarify anything on my resume?
Many candidates are often confused about whether to make their resumes detailed or not. There’s no hard and fast rule as each candidate has different experiences and should include relevant details and only relevant experience for the job they are applying for; however, as a rule, it’s best not to make a resume more than 1–2 pages and be ready to ask this question and clarify anything else verbally during your interview.
Candidates should mention all projects or campaigns that they have worked on and relevant to the position and should state their previous workplace achievements. Applicants should also understand the need for them to highlight their core skills in their resumes. The core skill section highlights the candidate’s most essential skills and knowledge about the roles they are applying for.
2. What are the main priorities of the company, and does this fit with my goals?
This is a key question asked by many job applicants. Every company has its organizational goals, and these should align with personal goals for the best possible match.
It helps to let your candidates know the importance of matching their personal goals and organizational goals to the organization they’re looking to join, as this is more likely to lead to their success in their new jobs. In addition, candidates want to see how their work would impact the company’s larger objectives and priorities.
Furthermore, let the candidate understand that your company is committed to incorporating employees’ interests into professional goals. Candidates want to know how their plans are tied to the wider organizational ambition. Therefore, they need to be very clear on how their efforts can fit into the broader company strategy.
3. What is the interview process, and when are they looking to fill this position?
Some candidates are curious to know about the interview process to ascertain what exactly the company wants and when.
For example, if your company moves very fast in its interview process, it is likely you will fill the position with the most immediately available candidate. So, if the candidate has a three-month notice period, they know that it’s unlikely they will be suitable for the role you’re discussing.
If you have several rounds of interviews, it’s worth telling candidates this so you can manage their expectations and ensure their expectations align with the companies. Lengthy interview processes don’t necessarily put candidates off; after all — both parties are looking if it’s going to be a good fit. If your job brief allows you to give a timeline on when the position will be filled, it’s often a good idea to do so.
4. What is the turnover of staff like at this company?
When an applicant asks you about the company’s staff turnover rate, endeavor to answer positively and honestly. Applicants ask this question to determine if the position would help them advance their career goals or otherwise.
Many managers often find this question unsettling however, it pays to be honest. Candidates have drawn up their career plan and want to know if the role will help them achieve these, hiding the truth about this question will just lead to dissatisfaction and unhappiness.
Talk about the company’s turnover rate and ensure you highlight the positives, even if it is negative. Explain to the candidate what your company is doing to reduce the turnover rate and improve job satisfaction.
5. What can you tell me about the management style of my new potential manager?
Management style is the particular way managers go about achieving their objectives in an organization. It shows how they make vital decisions and exercise authority in the workplace.
Candidates often want to find out about the management style of their potential manager to know if it helps them succeed and achieve career growth. It’s also worth posing this question the opposite way: what kind of management style do they most enjoy and work best under?
And, what about the other way round, what do recruiters and hiring managers like to ask potential candidates…?
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Originally published at Upstack.co on Dec 6, 2021, by Joanna Blomfield.
