Why Do Bad Interviews Happen to Good Candidates?

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In the recruiting and staffing space, we’ve all seen perfect-on-paper candidates deliver bad interviews. Despite having the ideal qualifications and experience, their interview performance ranged anywhere from lackluster to downright terrible. However, interviews are not the tell-all of how candidates will perform in the role. It’s important to not judge a book by its cover – good candidates can give bad interviews, and bad candidates can give good interviews. Taking into consideration that the average cost of a bad hire is up to 30% of the employee’s first year compensation, it’s important to hire the right people – not just the ones that interview well. As a hiring manager, it’s crucial to recognize the signs of good candidates having bad interviews, and vice versa. Consider the following factors to understand why bad interviews happen to good candidates.

Bad Interviews Can Happen Because They’re Nervous

Interview nerves are common, whether it’s from public speaking anxiety or even pure excitement about the opportunity. Regardless of preparation, interview anxiety can make a candidate appear less confident – they may stumble over their words, speak too fast, fidget with their hands/hair, or appear disorganized. These things can lead to cause for concern from an interviewer’s perspective and result in a bad interview overall.

What To Do as the Interviewer

Ease the candidate’s nerves in the very beginning by assuring the interview will be more of an open conversation than a test. The more relaxed a candidate feels, the more likely they will give honest and clear answers. You can alleviate tension in the beginning of the interview by asking open-ended questions that make the candidate feel more comfortable, such as asking about themselves, how they heard about the role, or their interests outside of work. Breaking the ice with these questions will ease the candidates’ nerves and encourage them to be their authentic selves. Lastly, don’t make a snap judgement. Allow the interview to run its course and give the candidate time to open up and relax. Judge the interview holistically, rather than passing judgement based on the first three minutes.

Questions To Ask Candidates To Ease Nerves:

  • How would you describe yourself?
  • How did you hear about our company?
  • What do you like to do outside of work?
Graphic displaying questions to ask candidates to ease nerves in bad interviews

Their Interview Skills are Rusty

A stable job history is an important factor to consider during the hiring process to weed out job-hoppers. Committed job candidates can go anywhere between 2-10 years between interviews, almost guaranteeing rusty interviewing skills. Passive candidates may also be out of practice because they aren’t actively looking for a new role. Interviewing skills are like learning a new language, it takes practice and consistent refinement. Thus, those who haven’t interviewed in a while may find themselves re-learning the ropes.

What To Do as the Interviewer

Look at their employment history and recognize the time that has passed between the last time they interviewed; this could be their first time interviewing – virtually or in-person – since the pandemic. To gauge their interviewing hiatus, you could ask how their job search is going so far, how their 5-year plan has changed since the last time they interviewed, or how the scope of their current role has changed since they were hired.

Remember that interview nerves are expected, and may be amplified if they haven’t interviewed in a while. Interview nerves and out-of-practice interview skills are a lethal combination for bad interviews, even if the candidate is highly qualified for the role. On the same note, be wary of overly confident candidates – memorized responses that include fluff and exaggerated buzzwords may be an indicator of a serial interviewer. Be sure to dive deep into candidates’ answers and ask about specific accomplishments or tasks in their previous roles.

Questions To Ask Candidates To Gauge Their Interview Hiatus:

  • How long have you been at your current company?
  • What experiences have helped you prepare for this role?
  • How have your goals changed since the last time you were job searching?
Graphic displaying text that reads questions to ask candidates to guage their interview hiatus during bad interviews

Their Job Skillset Doesn’t Translate to Interviewing

The skillset required for interviewing can sometimes be very different than the skillset needed for the job. A standard interview process judges a candidate’s ability to sell themselves for the role, which requires excellent communication and people-facing skills. This could easily be exemplified for someone in management or sales roles. However, depending on the candidate’s field, this may not be their expertise. Those who are in engineering or IT roles may possess the technical skills for the role, but could have a hard time translating it during an interview since they may not interface with people regularly.

What To Do as the Interviewer

It’s important to recognize the difference between an interviewing skillset and the skillset required for the role. Take into consideration the candidate’s field and how communication skills are involved. Focus on the job requirement and tailor questions to highlight the candidate’s skills and experience in that area. For example, pose questions about the candidate’s background, relevant certifications or degrees, how they’ve utilized their skillet in previous roles, or specific projects they’ve worked on. Let the candidate sell themselves through explanation of skills, rather than their delivery of answers.

Questions To Ask Candidates To Understand Their Skillset:

  • What educational training have you had that has helped your career?
  • How have you used (X skill) in previous roles?
  • Do you prefer working independently or within a team?
Graphic displaying an interview with text overlaying reading questions to ask candidates to understand their skillset

They’re Being Asked the Wrong Questions

As the interviewer, you’re responsible for determining if the candidate is the right fit for the role by asking questions that speak to both their technical skills and personality. If the candidate isn’t engaged in the interview or is answering unclearly (and it can’t be attributed to the things mentioned above), it might be worth looking introspectively. Are the questions you’re asking the cause of these bad interviews?

What You Can Do as the Interviewer

If applicable, set up a pre-interview call with the candidate’s recruiter. This will allow you to gather details about the candidate you can specifically ask about during your interview. Next, review your interview questions. Do they specifically target the skills needed for the role? Are they relevant to this candidate’s experience? How do they assess the candidate’s cultural fit? Are they open-ended, allowing for a natural flow of conversation?

That being said, it’s always better to ditch the script once the interview is off and running. Allow the conversation to naturally spark new questions that’ll give you a deeper understanding of the candidate’s experience and skills. This will also give the candidate a better opportunity to showcase their achievements, work ethic, and personality the way they want to.

Questions To Ask Candidates To Encourage Thoughtful Responses

  • Instead of “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” ask “What career goals are you hoping this job will fulfill for you?”
  • Instead of “What is a difficult situation you’ve overcome?” ask “What strategies do you use to diffuse difficult situations?”
  • Instead of “What is your greatest strength?” ask “Which attribute best qualifies you for this role and why?”
Graphic showing two forms of questions, with a background image of people shaking hands

Red Flags in Bad Interviews

If you notice any of the red flags below during an interview, it may be a sign that your candidate is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Be wary of these signs and utilize them to determine if a candidate gave a bad interview from the reasons mentioned above, or if they truly aren’t the right fit.

Vague examples: If the candidate uses examples without quantifiable achievements, they may be all talk and no action.

Highlighting the negative: Highlighting the negative in previous roles or employers could be a warning sign that they are likely going to continue that behavior at your company.

Lack of goals: Having a lack of goals signifies a lack of motivation. If a candidate doesn’t have career or personal aspirations, they’re less likely to contribute to your company’s goals.

Defensive response and body language: Candidates that have defensive responses and body language during interviews are likely to have a problem with authority and criticism. Make sure that their work ethic will mesh well with your management style.

Self-centric answers: This is particularly important for candidates that will be working on teams. If a candidate only focuses on self-accomplishments and successes, their ego may become a problem. Recognize the difference between confidence and arrogance.

What You Can Do as a Hiring Manager to Mitigate Bad Interviews

The hiring process can reveal a lot about future employees, but it’s important to consider that great candidates can be shadowed by bad interviews. As a hiring authority, it’s vital to take into consideration the potential factors driving bad interviews – nerves, out-of-practice interview skills, non-transferable skillets, or monotonous interview questions. If you feel like the candidate could still be a fit after the first interview, set up another time to meet with them. As the hiring process progresses with a well-suited candidate, the factors listed above should vanish. However, if the bad interviews can’t be attributed to those factors, you need to be wary of the interview red flags that may indicate an avid job hopper. Set your potential candidates up for success by acknowledging these components and tailoring your interview process for optimal results.

If you need guidance on the interview process or additional resources for effective interviewing, reach out to Blue Signal. As your partner in the hiring process, our recruiting team is positioned to support both hiring managers and candidates through the process. With our help, quality candidates are guaranteed to shine through, without the headache of enduring bad interviews.

5 Ways to Recognize a Toxic Work Culture During an Interview

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Today’s job market has pulled a complete 180 on how we envision the hiring process. Candidates, especially in more specialized fields, have their pick of opportunities - with the focus shifting on applicants and cultural fit, rather than just job openings and necessity. The silver lining to this shrinking talent pool is the sense of accountability for companies to create better work environments for employees, including better benefits and fun perks. However, in-office perks like table tennis and early-out Fridays don’t always make up for bad work environments. In fact, a study by Jobvite found that over 15% of candidates turned down job offers due to perceived toxic company culture. When interviewing, it’s important to consider if a company is the right fit for you by learning about the culture, not just the benefits. During this process, here are 5 ways you can recognize a toxic work culture - and avoid it - before accepting an offer. 

5 Ways to Recognize a Toxic Work Culture Blog Graphic 1

 

1. Ask About Feedback

If you want to give a good interview it’s recommended that you are prepared to ask questions, not just answer them. To get better insight into the company’s leadership, you should ask about how feedback is given within the team. If you are interviewing with management, ask for an example of a time when they approached an employee with feedback and how that feedback was received. Then, critically listen to their response. When joining a new business, no matter your prior experience, there will always be hurdles in learning their preferred processes. You’ll want to make sure that the learning curve isn’t stacked against you, and that the leadership within the company is prepared to help you along the way. Asking this question can help give you an idea of how your potential new employer will either set you up for success, or otherwise. 

 

2. Examine their Core Values 

Every company will have their own set of established core values. The trick here is to look past the catchy taglines and make sure that they are embracing their code. Before your interview, try to look for the company mission statement on their website. Assess it, then bring it up in the interview. They will be impressed by your initiative and, more importantly, you will be setting yourself up for an authentic response. Some interviewers might have their own tactics for selling their company’s culture down to a script. To cut around the sales pitch, ask for more examples. “I read that a core value of your company is perseverance - can you give me an example of how you have displayed that in your own role?” You want to work for a company that is true to their word, and one that supports values that truly align with your own. 

And do your research! If there is bad press about the company that you think misaligns with their core values, ask about it. Don’t come across as attacking, just say, “I read something concerning about your brand online, and rather than believe everything I read on the internet, I decided it’d be better to get the answers from the source. Can we talk about it?” Conversations like those that happen in interviews are the perfect place to voice your concerns, and can help clear the air in a constructive way. 

 

3. Get a Lay of the Land - or the Office 

A person’s definition of toxic can differ depending on their preferred job structure, so it’s important to know your preference before starting the process. If you’re doing an in-person interview, ask to see the work space. Pay attention to how employees are interacting on the floor - are they engaged in their work? Are they collaborating? Are they distracted? Are they tense? Think about the kind of work environment you thrive in - everyone works differently! If you find side conversations with coworkers too distracting, and you see that behavior happening in abundance, maybe consider if this work environment would set you up for success. Or, on the other hand, you could thrive better in a workplace that encourages socialization and teamwork. It’s up to your preference! One person's hindrance could be another’s motivation. 

 

4. Ask an Employee Their Opinion 

Try to take advantage of all opportunities. If you have the chance to speak to someone within the department you are looking to join - better yet, someone in the same role - ask them about their experiences. Discuss what they like about working there, and ask about the team dynamic. With some larger companies, the issues on the ground floor aren’t always known by higher ups, and can cause misalignment in the understanding of the team’s collaboration. As always, if you have a question you should try to get the answers from those closest to the issue. You never know, they might tell you new, exciting information too! 

 

5. Gauge the Pace of the Process 

One of the biggest red flags in the interview process is speed. If you are rushed through from interview to offer, odds are the company could just be looking for a warm body to fill the role. While flattering, speed can signify high turnover and deeper issues within the position. Be wary of processes that feel forced. 

On the flip side, interview processes that drag on for weeks could signify complications in corporate structure. This usually means that there is quite a bit of red tape within the company, and that there may be too many voices at the table concerning things like hiring. Of course, different types of roles can have different types of interview processes. If the role is especially technical, for instance, there might be more rounds to cover knowledge and testing. It’s one thing to be thorough, but know the difference. 

5 Ways to Recognize a Toxic Work Culture Blog Graphic 2

Toxic work environments aren’t a hiring manager’s favorite topic to cover during an interview - but are quickly discovered by those who accept the position without doing their due diligence. Jobvite found that over 32% of new hires who quit within the first 90 days cite a toxic company culture as a reason for leaving. Don’t make the mistake of accepting a job offer without diving into company culture first. Listen to your gut, and pay attention to what’s not being said through these preliminary stages to avoid landing yourself in a less than ideal work culture. 

Job Ads Should Look More Like Dating Profiles – Here’s Why.

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Picture seeing an online dating profile like this:

Requirements:

  • Must do all chores (laundry, all cleaning, bills), plus more as needed.
  • Must be willing to make sandwiches on demand and cook all meals 5+ times per week.
  • Minimum 700+ credit score and excellent budgeting skills required.
  • Must be able to handle difficult in-laws.

Who would swipe right on a profile like that? Any sane suitor would swipe left on that person as if their life depended on it because no one in their right mind would list requirements like that on a dating profile. It just isn’t a feasible way to find a successful match. So why are job ads being written like this?

Take a look at the description below, taken from real job postings:

Requirements:

  • Minimum 10 years of experience.
  • MBA required.
  • MUST be willing to work long hours on nights and weekends.
  • Must handle all regular duties plus others as needed.
  • Self-starter who can work with minimal direction.
  • Proven success in consistently landing top-level enterprise clients.
  • Natural ability to thrive under high pressure.
  • Please do not apply if you do not have qualifications listed above.

 

More like a prison sentence than a job ad. Not a single top performer would be tempted to apply to a job like this, and yet this continues to be the standard in the job ad world. Instead of showcasing a company’s passion, mission, and opportunity, they aim to scare off all but the most dedicated candidates. Demanding job ads became the norm during the 2008 financial crisis. Job ads were full of intimidating lists of hefty requirements, because the labor market was so bad that even top people were willing to take any jobs they could get.

The trouble is, this approach has stopped working.

The economy has shifted to a candidate-driven market, and companies are finding that the talent market is more competitive than ever, especially in fast-growing market segments like emerging technology, wireless/telecom, and programming. And due to tightening work visa restrictions, employers cannot always rely on the pool of H-1B workers. As a result, companies are having a harder time attracting talent.

 

Better to have too many choices than not enough.

Of course, there are some non-negotiables in both dating and employment. Everyone has standards. But highlighting the negative aspects of the job to “scare away” unmotivated applicants will make a top candidate question why they would bother applying to an apparently horrible job.

Experts estimate that up to 80% of candidates are passive. This means they keep options open but usually stay put unless something great comes along. Companies who write hardline job ads cut out 80% of their possible applicants. The best employees almost never have to make a career move, so companies with bad job descriptions automatically eliminate the best candidates right off the bat.

 

Ernest Shackleton's 1901 ad for the North Pole expedition. Not exactly a welcoming job description.

Image: Ernest Shackleton’s 1901 newspaper ad for the first successful trip to the South Pole.

Writing more attractive job ads will naturally cause an uptick in the number of applicants. Sometimes this is the reason companies write harsh job ads – they want to reduce the flood of applications. However, this strategy is flawed. In the world of easy online applications, companies who demand too much will still get flooded with applicants, but the majority will be desperate or underqualified applicants. It is better to have too many choices than not enough.

By the way, getting overwhelmed by applications is one of the best reasons to consider using a recruiter to weed through hundreds of applicants. Recruiter fees are expensive, but so is a hiring manager’s time.

 

Bad attitudes are expensive.

Focusing on the minimum qualifications is insulting to top candidates who have worked hard to build their skillset and bring extra to the job. Telling someone that they have met the minimum standard is hardly motivating in the dating world, and even less in the professional world. It is far better to tell them what the reward will be if they exceed expectations. Instead of focusing on the minimum bar, focus on the things that will set the job apart and how the company rewards its best people.

If employees have to jump through hoops during the hiring process, expect to pay a lot more than market rate to attract high-performing employees. Even then, many people will eventually leave a high-paying job for a job that treats them well. High turnover might work for minimum-wage employees, but it gets very expensive for salaried employees. Consider the direct costs of replacing an employee (advertising the job, interviewing, travel costs, background checks, and onboarding), plus the indirect costs of low morale, poor branding, decreased service quality, and the negative effects of stressed and dissatisfied employees.

Just like in real life, there is a spectrum of what works. Antagonistic, authoritarian work relationships can sometimes produce results (take Amazon’s notorious work culture, for example), but candidates in today’s market have lots of options. Companies who take a hardline attitude should not count on attracting top performers.

 

Show personality, not gimmicks.

Once upon a time, “Coding Ninja” job titles and ping-pong tables were the hottest way to attract up-and-coming talent. It worked for a while, but in the end, employees mostly want to make sure that a job will meet their real needs. That means money, time off, career advancement, and a good workplace environment.

What should companies focus on instead? Start with opportunities, rewards for top performers, career paths, benefits, work culture, and brand ideals. The top attractors in the United States have strong branding around how they’re changing the world. They don’t always pay the most or have the best benefits, but they maintain strong ideals about their mission.

Most companies only put effort into considering what they want out of an employee, and no time thinking about why anyone would want the job. This is unfortunate, because every company has something unique to offer. Start with the hard numbers, like salary package, benefits, PTO, and bonus structure. Go on Glassdoor to see what people are already saying, and pick out some of the top positive comments describing the culture. Plan out the realistic career path for the person who will fill this position, and note in the job description what opportunities they will have.

 

Focus on the relationship.

Even the most formal professional relationships are still relationships. They are based on people understanding each other and cooperating. When someone takes a job, they sign up to spend hundreds or thousands of hours of their life to pursue the company’s goals, and the company agrees to be that employee’s livelihood.

Investing in employees is expensive, but it also produces great results. Many studies have shown that unhappy employees do a bad job at work, and happy employees give better service. It takes time, effort, and hard work to attract top people, but the payoff is enormous.

Want more tips on how to write a great job ad? Check out Blue Signal’s top 5 tips for building a better job description.


Sales Reps: Ask These Questions in Your Next Sales Interview

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Many sales reps are great interviewers, since they excel at building relationships and having targeted conversations. One of the best ways a sales rep can stand out from the competition in an interview is by asking great questions. Research the company’s products and brands well ahead of time (try out the products firsthand, if possible), and then spend the interview time asking questions that will help both parties to determine whether the job is a fit.

These questions are designed to jumpstart conversation about company culture specifics. Listen carefully to what is said, and what is not said. Be ready for a range of possible answers, and have responses to guide the conversation.

 

“What is the usual progression for top performers in this job?”

Sales roles often have high turnover, especially at the lower levels. But asking simply about tenure can give a bad impression in an interview. Instead of asking a question that focuses on the worst performers, ask about the best performers. This question does double-duty: it demonstrates a commitment to succeed, and it also uncovers how the company treats its highest-performing salespeople.

Another variant on this question is, “What do the most successful salespeople do in their first month on the job?” Both variations of the question emphasize that the candidate has every intention of doing a good job.

 

“If you had an extra 20% added to your budget, how would you spend it?

An engaged hiring manager will know what they would love to spend more money on – product training, marketing materials, extra reps, prospecting software, or extra incentives, for example.

There is no right or wrong answer to this question, but it will indicate the top priorities (and possible pain points) of the team’s management. Someone from a technical background may prioritize product knowledge and technical support.  A manager who is actively engaged with their team may focus on skills development. A data-driven manager may invest in analytical software and tracking tools for the team to find out where the problem is. Listen carefully to the “why” in the interviewer’s answer, and think about what was not said as well as what was said.

“What is the top skill you wish you could improve in your sales team?”

Every team has weaknesses, and most sales teams struggle with a similar set of challenges across the board. This question gives insight into which weaknesses the manager focuses on. Common answers to this question include: product knowledge, prospecting, actual salesmanship, and better documentation/follow-up. An engaged hiring manager will answer this question in detail because they know where the team’s weaknesses are.

A sales rep who is interviewing can use this information to guide future questions, especially if they are strong in an area where the rest of the team is weak. It pays to follow up with a question about how the sales department compensates for this weakness—additional training, regular coaching, bigger incentives? It says a lot about the overall approach of the team.

 

“Which departments does the sales team work with on a regular basis?”

Some sales teams operate in a bubble and focus purely on selling, selling, selling. Other companies have a more collaborative culture, and their sales teams meet with R&D to brainstorm solutions to common customer complaints, or with marketing to come up with better materials and marketing strategies to help reps sell better. Neither approach is right or wrong, but it says a lot about how the company integrates sales into the rest of its culture.

“What kind of support personnel does your sales team have?”

Sales is not an easy line of work, and it gets even harder when reps are bogged down with non-sales work. Support personnel help a sales team to run like clockwork. This includes sales engineers, technical support, customer service, admin, data entry, product managers, and pre-sales/post-sales support coordinators. Even a small number of support personnel can mean a huge difference in a rep’s workload, and that translates to more sales and more commissions.

 

“What percentage of reps hit their quota each year? How does the top 10% perform?”

Not all sales departments set realistic quotas for their team. If the annual quota is $5 million, but the average rep only closes $3 million, the target is unrealistic. A very high OTE is great, but only if it is achievable. This question also helps to feel out how in touch a hiring manager is with their team’s numbers.

It pays to know how the top 10% performs compared to the average rep, to get a realistic idea of how much to expect in sales and commissions.

 

“What is the sales workflow?”

This question gives the hiring manager a good opportunity to talk about what tools and procedures the company uses in its sales process. A good sales funnel is straightforward and simple. Beware of a complicated process with unnecessary twists and turns. Another red flag is a high amount of follow-up, which takes a rep’s time away from selling.

Get an idea of the company’s sales stack. Even the best salesperson can have a hard time selling if the company’s software platform is outdated or difficult to use. On the other hand, a modern fully-loaded CRM shows that the company is serious about investing in its sales team.

 

“Why are you hiring for this role right now?”

The easy answer to this question is, “We’re growing,” which is what most hiring managers will answer. But instead of stopping there, dig a little deeper. Ask how much they have grown, and how it compares to past growth. Why now? This is also a good opportunity to find out the size of the sales team.

The other possible answer is that someone left. This is not automatically a bad thing – the hiring process usually moves much faster for replacement roles than for newly created roles. If the role is open because someone resigned, see how the hiring manager responds. If they speak negatively about the employee or air grievances (which tends to be uncommon), take it as a red flag. The best professional response is to briefly explain that the person moved on to other opportunities.

 

“What is the biggest challenge your team has faced in the last year, and how did your team overcome it?”

The sales profession is not easy, especially in the roller-coaster market of the past 10 years. Every team has faced challenges. Find out how they responded, and more importantly, how the hiring manager speaks about the difficulties on the job. Some managers ignore or minimize problems, some face them head-on, some like to get their hands dirty on the front lines, and others like to analyze the problem carefully and take a targeted approach. Again, this question is all about getting down to the personality and work culture of the team.


“Tell me about some of your key metrics.”

Selling is a numbers game, and a great hiring manager is on top of their team’s metrics. Good metrics to talk about include the cost of acquiring a new customer, conversion rates, and average deal size. For long-cycle sales, be sure to get an estimate of how long deals usually take to close.

The interviewee should have their own numbers ready to discuss, so that once the hiring manager begins talking about their metrics, the interviewee can respond with how they can improve those metrics. This is a good opportunity to trade stories about big milestones and key successes in the past few years.

 

“What keeps you motivated and excited to come to work every day?”

This is an easy one to pull out to break tension or to follow a complex question. People who work in sales are all about motivation and excitement (if not, they are probably in the wrong profession). What they say is less important than how they say it. If their answer is motivating and exciting, they are probably a good match.

 

Interviewing soon? Read more about how to excel in a sales interview. Find even more interview tips here.


How Successful Hiring Managers Prep for Interviews

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Many hiring managers think of the in-person interview as a meeting where it is the candidate’s responsibility to impress them. However, an effective hiring cycle is a process that starts with attracting applicants, followed by identification of candidates, evaluation, selection, and acceptance. In a candidate-driven market, a hiring manager must also impress the candidate, because the best candidates do not need to make a move.

 

Set up a pre-interview call with their recruiter.

Hiring an employee is a huge investment of money. Most interviews last only an hour or so, which doesn’t give the hiring manager much time to make such an important decision. Never waste time during an interview by asking basic questions that a recruiter can answer. A day or so before the interview, spend time on the phone with the recruiter to gather details about the candidate. Cover all logistical information such as salary expectations, relocation, and potential resignation difficulties.

Questions to cover during this call:

  • Why do they want to make a move?
  • What are they lacking in their current job?
  • Why this firm?
  • What concerns do they have?
  • What is most important for them to learn?

 

Look at the physical office space through their eyes.

What will the candidate see when they walk into the building? Is the space dated or cluttered? Just as a candidate’s outfit should create a professional first impression on the interviewer, the physical office space should create a professional first impression on the candidate. Use the office space to sell the candidate on the job. Reserve the best conference room available, and showcase selling points such as new technology or state-of-the-art workspaces. Make sure that clutter is out of the way and that the office is on its best display.

Greet them warmly when they arrive.

Prep all staff to receive the candidate warmly and professionally – few things are more disorienting to a candidate than a receptionist who was not expecting them and has to fumble to figure out where to send them. While some firms ask candidates to fill out forms when they arrive for an interview, try to minimize paperwork, as it eats up valuable interview time. Expect them to arrive 5 to 15 minutes early and be prepared accordingly.

Hiring managers - interview prepWhen they arrive, offer them bottled water, coffee, or tea. Instead of having the receptionist send them to find the office through an unfamiliar building, walk down to meet them personally. Make pleasant small talk on the way up to the office, and compliment them on something. The interview should be in an office or private conference room, and all devices should be switched off or silenced. Have their resume printed out and a notepad ready for jotting down a few notes.

It is a nice gesture to give the candidate some printed materials to review after the interview, or even some small company-branded items.

 

Balance talking and listening.

In interviews, the person who does the most talking usually has the most positive impression of how the interview went. Aim for a 50/50 balance of talking versus listening.

Resist making a snap judgement in the first 3 minutes, which is the time that the subconscious usually kicks in to make a “gut decision.” Open with some friendly selling points about the job and the company that the candidate may not have discovered during their research, and avoid the temptation to open with hard-hitting questions. Stay positive, and get a complete understanding of the candidate’s history, work style, and accomplishments. Have a strategy and an outline of which questions to ask.

Salary is best discussed through the recruiter. Verify the candidate’s current compensation if necessary, but do not negotiate in the early stage. The candidate does not yet know if they want the job. The point of this meeting is to gather information and to make the candidate want the job.

 

Afterwards

At the end of the interview, clearly articulate the next steps and the timeline. Follow up with the recruiter within an hour of the end of the interview to discuss how it went.

The overall point of the hiring cycle is to decide whether a candidate is a good fit for the organization, but the goal of an interview is to make the candidate want the job. A hiring manager might get all the information that they need to make a decision, but if the interview turns the candidate off, there is no chance of a hire. Presenting the job in the most positive light will attract the best candidates and encourage a high level of motivation from day one.

 

Hiring soon? Set up a free consultation with us at info@bluesignal.com.

3 Reasons Good Candidates Can Give Bad Interviews

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The cost of a bad hire is substantial, sometimes up to three times the employee’s annual salary. The interview process is one of the only sources of information for an employer during the hiring process. Unfortunately, it is not a foolproof way to judge a candidate’s fit.

Interviewing and job performance often use totally different skill sets. Sometimes a terrible candidate interviews very well. Good candidates sometimes give bad interviews. It can be difficult to tell the difference. Look for these signs that the candidate may be a good employee who gave a weak interview:

 

1.  The candidate has not interviewed in years.

When companies are filling a permanent role, they generally want someone stable with a history of long-term commitment to employers. Committed job candidates can easily go 10 years or more between interviews. Even if they are highly qualified and experienced, their interviewing style may be lackluster or outdated purely due to lack of practice.

What to do: Keep in mind that a candidate who interviews extremely well could be a serial interviewer. Target specific accomplishments, tasks, action items that the candidate can prove from past roles. Be wary of candidates who love to talk theory and buzzwords but cannot back them up with quantifiable achievements.

good candidates, bad interviews - candidate is nervous

2.   Interviewing skills are not the same as job skills.

For most jobs, interviewing is an entirely different skillset than the skills necessary to do the job. Some candidates have outstanding experience and qualifications, but they may not be able to sell themselves as well as a routine job-hopper/interviewer. In people-oriented or customer-facing jobs, candidates should have strong interviewing and communication skills. People in technical roles with low interaction may have less experience with the complex communication skills that come into play during an interview.

What to do: Keep in mind that interviewing well is not the same as performing well, especially for roles that are technical in nature. Focus on the actual job qualifications and look for measurable past achievements that demonstrate good job performance.

 

 3.  The candidate is nervous.

Many interviewees have trouble relaxing and accessing their long-term memory during an interview, even with dedicated preparation ahead of time. A candidate may feel nervous because they are sincerely excited about the job opportunity and want to perform well in the interview.

Sometimes a candidate may just be having a bad day despite their efforts to put their best foot forward. There may have been terrible traffic on the drive to the interview or a stressful event in their personal life. While it is important for a candidate to put aside their emotions and focus on the job, the reality is that life sometimes throws difficulties in the way.

What to do: Recognize that an interview is a highly artificial conversation, and that everyone involved has a lot at stake. In the first few minutes of the interview, set the tone of the interview with a few open-ended, easy questions. It is worth spending a few minutes putting a nervous candidate at ease if it means getting excellent answers later in the interview and making the right hire.

 

True warning signs of a bad employee:

Analyze poor or bad interviews carefully. Not all interviewing mistakes are due to nervousness. Watch out for these red flags, which indicate pervasive character problems:Blog - good candidates bad interviews - bad mouthing

Bad-mouthing
There is no excuse for belittling colleagues, employers, or even company initiatives during an interview.

Inappropriate or rude jokes
Candidates who cannot or will not respect professional boundaries are a dangerous liability.

No goals 
Some candidates stumble depending on how the question is asked, but if a person cannot give any concrete goals or plans for the future, they likely struggle with motivation.

Complaining, whining, negativity
Everyone runs into difficulties and stress at some point in their careers, but if a candidate cannot set aside their past grievances for even an hour while interviewing, they are probably a chronic complainer.

Playing the victim
Some people truly have been victimized in past jobs, but be wary of candidates who refuse to take responsibility for past mistakes or failures.

Selfishness, focused on stuff and benefits
Money and benefits are important but should not dominate an interview. An interview should focus on whether a candidate and employer are a good fit for each other.

Defensive or argumentative responses
This shows a lack of respect for authority and an unwillingness to take criticism.

Dishonesty and “white lies”
A candidate who is dishonest during an interview will continue the behavior after getting the job. Do not put the company at risk of a liability issue due to dishonest behavior.

 

One final tip:

Ensure that the company’s hiring process is designed to attract top talent. Hiring managers are more likely to make a bad hiring decision when they are rushed, under-prepared, or untrained in interviewing skills. Bad hiring processes lead to bad hires, which are expensive and damaging to morale. The hiring manager guides the interview, not the interviewee. Be prepared.

After making a hire, give the employee the tools to succeed right away. Managers who leave new hires to fend for themselves will miss the chance to start new employees on the right foot.

 

For more advice on interviewing effectively, contact us at info@bluesignal.com.

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