As a hiring manager, remember that when you’re interviewing candidates, they’re also interviewing you and your company. As you narrow down the best fit for your company and the position offered, you must keep in mind that your behavior, conversations and interactions are being taken note of by the people you interview. Therefore, it’s important to always be on top of your game and impress every single interviewee that walks through your door.
It’s important for interviewers to understand that their candidate is already feeling nervous and stressed coming into the meeting. Make the atmosphere as friendly as possible and work on being approachable yourself so candidates can feel comfortable the minute they step into your office (or enter the virtual meeting space). You don’t want to be turned down by your first choice because you left a negative impression.
7 Steps to Make a Good First Impression
Here are seven ways you can make a good impression on candidates during interviews.
1. Learn about the candidate
Before you meet the candidate, make sure to go through their resume and get an idea of their background and experience. Showing that you did your research will keep the candidate interested and will make them feel like you care enough to thoroughly prepare for your meeting.
2. Be approachable and friendly
You want to come across as friendly and make the candidate feel comfortable enough to talk to you. Your candidate might already be nervous and you want to help them feel like they have nothing to be scared about. Give a little smile and show warmth when meeting a new candidate. Your body language will also be important in conveying openness and warmth. Try to have an open posture, make eye contact, and when in a remote interview lean forward to show that you are interested.
3. Stay attentive
Speaking of eye contact, you must be attentive and actively listen to your candidate. This is especially important in a remote interview where one can be easily distracted. Avoid checking emails, surfing the web or being on your phone during the meeting. You don’t want to come across as uninterested or rude. A distracted interviewer is very off-putting to someone who is trying to tell you about themselves because it shows that you don’t care enough to learn about who they are and what they can bring to your company.
4. Be conversational
To convey a friendly and approachable tone, treat the interview like a conversation. This will not only help calm your candidate but will also allow them to open up about themselves and share their experiences in a more comfortable way. Candidates like to feel like they can have a good conversation, making the overall experience a positive one.
5. Prepare for your meeting
Preparation is key. You must have your questions ready and prepare and agenda for the meeting. If you’re unprepared it reflects poorly on the whole company and could give the impression that the business is not organized and professional. Having a few introductory comments and questions ready can also help to break the ice and get the conversation started.
6. Test your tech
As many interviews are conducted remotely recently, you want to make sure that all your tech is working properly. Test your equipment, the Wi-Fi, and make sure to have a backup plan like your candidate’s phone number ready in case something goes wrong. Again, you want to show that you are professional and that you are prepared for the meeting.
7. Be yourself!
Last but not least -and this one is important – don’t forget to be yourself. Be attentive and engaged and have empathy for the candidate. You want to share your personality and relate to the candidate in order to make a connection. Make sure you show up to the interview with a positive mindset and keep your focus on the candidate throughout the interview.
It’s important to be prepared and open to every candidate you meet. First impressions are everything and in a formal setting like this, and both parties can be nervous. You want to come across as genuine and caring as well as show the candidate why they would love working at your company.
Looking to hire? Contact your local branch today to learn more about the talented professionals we have available and see how Roth Staffing Companies including Ultimate Staffing, Ledgent Finance & Accounting, Ledgent Technology, Adams & Martin Group and About Talent, can be a resource to you for your staffing and recruitment needs.
