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Should You Include Staff in Interviews?

Successful talent acquisition has a powerful impact on your employer brand and ultimately, on your company’s bottom line. Each new hire is an opportunity to find the next superstar that will take your organization to the next level and help outshine your completion. It is crucial that your interview process – and those who take part in it – create a positive candidate experience and set the stage for future growth.

Involving current employees in interviews helps you to build a results-oriented team that meets the needs of both the candidate and your company.

Build Your Interview “A Team”

By taking a 360-degree approach and involving employees at various organizational levels in the interview process, you include people who will look for different qualities and skills in a prospective team member. Choose participants who:

  • Represent your company well.
  • Ask questions that push candidates to share valuable information.
  • Are knowledgeable about the position, your culture, and interview procedures.
  • Bring the highest possible level of comfort to the candidate.

Whether you are conducting a video or in-person interview, consider including these players on your team:

  • Your recruiter or HR contact: This should be the person who initially reached out to the candidate. They will remain the candidate’s primary contact person throughout the hiring experience. Including them in interviews helps to ensure that your prospect will feel comfortable. This person also will be valuable in steering the conversation in the desired direction.
  • The person’s potential supervisor: This manager should know the role through and though and be able to ask the most relevant questions. They also will be adept at addressing job-specific inquiries as posed by the candidate.
  • A future coworker: An interview with a potential peer can provide unique insight into culture, work style, and the type of personality that will fit a position. If the new hire works out, you have started the colleague bonding process at the earliest possible stage. Your candidate can learn what it will take to be successful, both day to day and on a long-term basis.
  • A high-level manager or senior executive: Once a candidate has been thoroughly vetted, it is helpful to have a senior manager weigh in. This person has a global view of long-term organizational fit. For business-critical roles, you need their buy-in, in order for the hire to be successful.
  • A direct report: In some cases, you may want to include the possible future direct report of a person in their interview. The chemistry has to be right and, while you may not learn everything from a single meeting, it will help to pinpoint any flagrant red flags or personality conflicts.

Best Practices

Here are a few tips to follow as you fine tune your interview team:

  • Make sure everyone is on the same page. Train your team ahead of time. Set the criteria for successful interviews. Coordinate the process, so key questions are not repeated and everyone is not firing them at the candidate at the same time. You want your prospective hire to be relaxed and sharing openly and honestly, not guarded, nervous or defensive.
  • Use consistent, repeatable interview practices. Any inconsistencies will add variables, which make it more difficult to accurately track and interpret results.

The PrideStaff Fresno recruitment team can help you address interviewing, hiring and related human capital challenges to build your company for a successful future. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

 

 

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