Mistakes Recruiters Should Avoid

Worried about your recruiters’ interview skills? Tell them to watch out for these mistakes.

Even recruiters make mistakes. Experience is important but is not always a safeguard, because experienced recruiters sometimes become complacent with the way they do things. This complacency can lead to a failure to look for different ways of getting the most out of an interview.

It should be pointed out that there are two types of recruiters. First, there’s the salaried employee who works within the company. The second type is the freelance headhunter who works to connect job applicants with companies that are hiring.

We will examine the biggest mistakes made when a company’s own recruiters conduct face to face interviews.

A Poorly Structured Meeting

Think of a job interview as a business meeting. All well-run meetings should have an agenda, ensuring that all matters are discussed in a logical order. A typical job interview includes a bit of small talk, an explanation of the job description for the position to be filled, a review of the candidate’s resume, and so on.

When the recruiter does not follow an outline, the interview can become less productive because important details may not get discussed or revealed. This can lead to the candidate becoming lost in the process, leaving him feeling that the interview didn’t go as well as it could have.

On the other hand, an interviewer who follows an agenda will cover all the important information and still have time left over for the candidate to ask questions about the job and the company. A structured meeting will leave the candidate with a positive image regarding the company’s efficiency and how they treat each candidate equally. Of course, an agenda doesn’t have to be set by a timer. Some flexibility should be built in to the interview to allow for discussion of concerns the applicant may have..

The Best Candidate May Not Need the Job

Just as a candidate is ready put his best foot forward, the interviewer should be prepared to show the company in its best light.

Recruiters sometimes forget that the candidate is looking for the right employer just as much as the recruiter is looking for the right employee. This can cause problems, because a recruiter who forgets this may not take the time needed to represent the company and explain the job opening with the enthusiasm.

In addition, both the recruiter and the candidate should feel comfortable discussing compensation. If the money expectations differ, it is pointless to spend time interviewing.

The Interviewer is Not as Prepared as the Candidate

We all know how important it is for the candidate to be fully prepared for an interview. But not enough talk is given to the importance of the recruiter being equally prepared. This, in fact, is the number one mistake made by recruiters.

The interviewer is a representative of the company. If the interviewer has not read their resume, can’t accurately describe the job to be filled, or is not organized, the candidate will get the impression that the company is unprepared and poorly organized.

When looking for a company that is on the cutting edge of its field, the best candidates may choose a company where the recruiter was familiar with his resume, was organized and well prepared for the interview.

The recruiter should Google the candidate before arranging the meeting. If something appears in social media or other types of platforms that the company cannot overlook, there is no point in going forward.

The Interviewer Shows No Respect for the Candidate’s Time

When preparing for a job interview, a candidate puts in a great deal of time and effort.

If the interviewer leaves the candidate in the waiting room far past the scheduled meeting time, the candidate’s enthusiasm about the new job wanes. And if the recruiter doesn’t appear at the appointed time to explain the delay, the candidate questions whether he matters at all.

When the interview eventually starts, a reasonable amount of small talk is expected by both parties, just to break the ice. But a recruiter who spends too much valuable interview time discussing personal issues or her work overload shows a complete lack of respect for the candidate’s time and purpose for being there.

The Interviewer is not a Good Listener

An interviewer should conduct a balanced interview and be a good listener. Bringing out the best in a job candidate will allow him to feel that the interview went well, even if he wasn’t awarded the job. This will allow the interviewer to represent the company in a good light while remaining honest about the job being filled.

The Interviewer Reneges on His/Her Promise

A promise is a promise. If you say that you will call back or arrange a meeting, make sure to follow through, even if you only call to let the candidate know that nothing is available at that time. Remember that a job seeker is anxious to hear from you so things do not remain in a state of flux forever.