What can you tell by the way job candidates interact (or don’t) when you contact them to book an interview?
For me, it tells a lot.
Here at People in Mind we review hundreds of cover letters and resumes every year. Some are well presented, others are not. Some are clearly tailored to the role the candidate has applied for, some tell you nothing at all about the candidate. I’d even go so far as to say that some candidates just don’t seem to have put any thought into their application at all.
But after the screening is done and we’re working with our short list of candidates, that’s when the profiling really begins.
We’re not worried if a candidate doesn’t answer straight away – they might be at work or otherwise engaged. It’s whether they make the effort to call back within a reasonable timeframe, or even bother at all, that matters.
And when we do get to speak to the candidate on the phone, we’re looking for engagement. Are they easy to talk to? Do they answer the questions well? Do they ask questions and can they articulate well?
We’re looking for the can-do attitude when it comes to booking in an interview. Do they put an option on the table if the interview times you’ve got are not suitable, or are they so inflexible that you’re left wondering whether they really are interested in the job?
Candidate interactions at this early stage are vital in your selection process. They’re raw – you’ve caught the candidate off guard rather than being in an interview they know about and should have prepared for. And with this rawness comes some insight into how they might behave once you’ve decided to employ them.
Employee behaviour is our specialty. So if you need a hand with recruiting or any other aspect of HR, we would love to help. Simply give us a call on 07 823 3250 or email us at [email protected].
