job interview Archives - Blue Signal Search

Evaluating Your Executive Hiring Process: From Inquiry Through Offer

February 22, 2023 by Lacey Walters

In a recent interview Tim Ryan (U.S. Chairman, PwC) stated “The war for talent is over. Talent won.”; in addition, The US economy added a whopping 517,000 jobs in January. So where does that leave your executive hiring process and strategies? With countless options available to job seekers—from associates to executives—companies must provide a positive candidate experience to attract and retain quality employees.

“The war for talent is over. Talent won.” - Tim Ryan

When a candidate applies for a job, they are not just looking to join your organization; they are also forming an opinion of your company. In fact, according to CareerBuilder, 78% of candidates consider their hiring process experience as a reflection of how their potential employer values its people. Unfortunately, most companies often leave out key steps that demonstrate respect for candidates or fail to communicate in a timely manner throughout the executive hiring process. As experts in the executive hiring process, Blue Signal understands why it is important to create a positive and effective experience that speaks well of your company.

The Candidate Experience is Everything

Your executive hiring process is a direct reflection of your organizational values and culture. If you have an efficient and organized hiring process, you demonstrate respect for potential employees’ time and are more likely to attract high-quality talent. On the other hand, if the process drags on for months with no response or feedback from your company, it sends a message that you don’t value employees or customers enough to invest in them. Make sure your executive hiring process aligns with these expectations. For instance, if you promise quick response times and fail to deliver on those promises, it can damage your reputation as an employer.

Communication is Key

One of the most common mistakes made in the executive hiring process is lack of communication with prospective employees. In the two (or more) months following their application, 52% of applicants received no communication regarding the position. Candidates should be kept up to date on the status of their application throughout the entire hiring process—from initial contact through the final decision.

Be Responsive, Transparent, and Honest

Transparent communication begins as soon as the job description is written. Candidates are more likely to apply for a position when they understand expectations. This means that your company culture, expectations for performance, and—ideally—compensation need to be clearly communicated in your job descriptions. After applying, candidates should never feel like they are ignored during the executive hiring process. They should always know if there are delays or changes in the process and be notified promptly if so. When it comes to giving feedback about job postings or applications, honesty is always the best policy. Providing constructive, yet transparent, feedback helps build trust between your company and those seeking employment with you. This can go a long way towards improving your company’s reputation and executive hiring process.

The Power of Word-of-Mouth Referrals

According to one survey, 72% of candidates said that they would be more likely to choose an employer based on word-of-mouth feedback from a friend or family member who had already worked there. This means that if you treat candidates poorly throughout the hiring process, those experiences will be shared with others and could significantly damage your reputation as an employer. Alternatively, candidates who have a positive experience are more likely to refer others to your organization, and they may even be more likely to accept a job offer if one is extended. Like any other company, word-of-mouth referrals are crucial to Blue Signal’s success. It may even be a good idea to take a page from our playbook and create a place online for client testimonials or employee testimonials to boost your company’s branding, and provide more information for job seekers when researching your company.

Making Your Executive Hiring Process More Efficient

It’s not just about providing a better experience — having an efficient executive hiring process can also reduce costs and improve time-to-hire metrics for your organization. The application process should be easy for candidates to follow and understand—not just for them, but also for recruiters managing multiple applications at once. The more streamlined and user-friendly your application process is, the more likely candidates will be to complete it, causing less frustration for hiring managers.

If possible, consider implementing electronic forms that can be filled out digitally and submitted quickly with minimal effort on both sides. Investing in automation tools like applicant tracking systems (ATS) can help streamline processes while simultaneously improving the overall user experience for applicants – resulting in greater efficiency and cost savings for your company over time. An ATS can help you keep track of candidates, manage job postings, and automate some of the administrative tasks of the executive hiring process.

Making Your Executive Hiring Process More Efficient

Curious what to avoid throughout the executive hiring process? Check out our previous blog on common mistakes companies make during the interview portion of the hiring process here.

Improving Your Employer Branding

Employers should always think about how their brand is being represented during the executive hiring process — from job postings through employee onboarding — and strive to create an authentic connection between prospective employees and their organization. It’s also important to keep in mind that today's job seekers are well-informed about companies before they even apply. Before applying for jobs, 75% of applicants will review the company's reputation. They will research how quickly you respond to applications, how often people in your organization are promoted, what kind of benefits you offer, etc. Therefore, it is crucial to generate engaging content that shines a spotlight on the benefits of your company, so job seekers experience a positive interaction even before applying.

Additionally, you can use feedback surveys after interviews or onboarding new hires, so that candidates can leave constructive feedback about their experiences throughout the hiring process. This can provide valuable insights into where improvement is needed in terms of communication or other aspects of the hiring process. These surveys will provide critical information to influence the improvement of your executive hiring process.

Looking for a partner in the hiring process? Contact Kelsey Campion!

Your executive hiring process says a lot about your company culture and values—so make sure it reflects those things in a positive light! Investing time into creating an efficient and respectful hiring process will ensure that your company stands out from others when it comes to recruiting top talent.

Automation tools and employer branding can help streamline processes while simultaneously improving the overall user experience for applicants, as well as help build relationships with potential hires before they even apply. By taking these steps you'll be ensuring that everyone involved in the executive hiring process has an enjoyable experience.

Types of Engineering Interview Questions

Preparation is key to ensure candidates make a favorable impression on everyone they meet during the interview process. According to a survey from Glassdoor, 88% of hiring managers say that an informed candidate is what they are looking for when interviewing. Taking the initiative to learn and practice responses to potential engineering interview questions will set you apart from other candidates. Hiring managers leverage a myriad of interview questions to gain a comprehensive understanding of the candidate. Each type of interview question has its own purpose and will reveal something specific about the candidate. Ultimately, the interview questions seek to measure the candidate’s skill set and abilities as well as their cultural fit within the current team.

Image of two women seated in chairs at a table - one is leaning in and listening while the other speaks during an interview

Situational Interview Questions

Situational interview questions are based on specific scenarios that could conceivably await someone in the new role. They seek to focus on a given hypothetical situation and how the candidate would handle it. Situational engineering interview questions can be difficult, as a candidate is required to think on the spot. Likely, this is a skill the interviewer may be testing them on. Answering these questions well can prove that an engineering candidate is willing to take the lead, ask for help, stay calm under pressure, and/or make positive choices. Overall, they prove the candidate can overcome any situation they will be faced with in the job.

Competency-Based Interview Questions

Competency-based interview questions are used by interviewers to assess specific attributes, knowledge, and behaviors. For example, a hiring manager looking to understand more about a candidate’s behaviors may ask about different ways in which they used their analytical ability to solve a problem. Alternatively, if it is decision making that the interviewer is looking to assess, they may ask candidates to provide information about how they built strong professional rapport with colleagues to make informed decisions. While these interview questions may often seem to be situational, competency-based questions are far less likely to be hypothetical. This enables candidates to draw directly on real-life examples and be focused on specific competencies rather than a general approach.

Behavioral Interview Questions

Behavioral interview questions are asked to elicit information from candidates on how they would likely handle any range of real-world challenges based on previous, similar circumstances. Whereas situational engineering interview questions decipher how engineering candidates would approach certain scenarios, and competency-based questions prove they have the skills required for the role, behavioral questions determine if candidates possess the desired character traits the hiring manager is looking for. Such interview questions tend to be based on the principle that a candidate’s past behavior is the best predictor of their future behavior. These questions can touch on such aspects such as candidates’ ability to work as part of a team, client-facing skills, adaptability, time management skills, and more.

Tips and Best Practices for Answering Engineering Interview Questions

It can feel daunting to prepare for a laundry list of potential engineering interview questions. To help ease the anxiety around interview preparation, Blue Signal partnered with our very own Bo Scott to provide insight on how to best prepare for these engineering interview questions. Bo is a Senior Executive Recruiter who specializes in IT, Emerging Technology, IoT, Cloud, Technology Sales, Unified Communications, Telecommunications, and Wireless roles. Based on his experience and expertise in the field, Bo recommends keeping two important points in mind when crafting responses to engineering interview questions. These pieces of advice will help candidates perform well in an engineering interview, and hopefully lead to landing the role.

The first tip is to remember that the interviewer is asking questions specifically about yourself, rather than your team. We all understand it takes a team effort to reach business goals, however, it is vital that you quantify, individualize, and specify your unique contributions to those achievements. Engineers rarely work alone, but they will bring their own strengths and weaknesses into their new team. Engineering candidates must focus on sharing what they have done to bring success to a business, team, or project.

Secondly, Bo emphasizes the importance of answering the engineering interview question that is being asked, rather than providing the answer a candidate believes the interviewer is looking for. This can be a difficult distinction to make. For example, an engineering interview question asking about what you have done is not a chance to share what you think they should do, or what you would do differently. One way to ensure you are concisely and accurately answering the question at hand is to draw examples from your experience to tell a story about your accomplishments – and, if applicable, how those experiences prepared for this potential new role.

While it is likely most of these engineering interview questions will be asked throughout the hiring process, it’s important to be prepared to answer any question thrown your way. Assume these interview questions will also be tailored toward the role’s industry, and area of expertise. Whether on your own or partnering with a recruiter, preparing for the engineering interview questions discussed gives you a critical advantage in the hiring process.

How To: Negotiate a Flexible Schedule During a Job Interview

October 6, 2021 by Aylish DeVore

Updated research shows that 55% of global businesses offer some capacity for remote work. Since the pandemic, workers have been redefining work/life balance and targeting opportunities with a flexible schedule. It has now become extremely important for companies to loosen the reins on what a typical employee’s work schedule and location look like.

Remote work, hybrid schedules, increased and/or more relaxed PTO options, and unconventional working hours are just a few types of common flexible schedules job seekers are looking for in today’s job market. It’s critical for employers to cater to these common requests and present job opportunities as negotiable when it comes to a flexible schedule. Doing so will also grab the attention of those passive candidates who currently have an ideal flexible schedule, and aren’t looking elsewhere for fear of not having that same flexibility in a new role. For those looking to make a career move but will require an atypical schedule or work environment, we’ve laid out a few ground rules on how to tackle the discussion with your hiring manager. Read on for tips on how to sway the conversation in the right direction and negotiate a flexible schedule during the interview process.

Make a Plan:

The first step in the process is to map out a detailed plan to present to the company and/or hiring manager you’re interviewing with. Start by reflecting on your personal must-haves and differentiating between your nice-to-haves when it comes to the flexible schedule you want. Next, clearly map out how this flexible schedule would work logistically. Be prepared with an answer for all common situations or questions that may arise. When building your case, make sure to gather personal data and specific experiences to share. These will give real-life examples of how and why you’d be successful in this type of flexible schedule. Also, be sure to ask yourself if what you’re proposing makes or breaks whether you accept the role. If a flexible schedule is a “nice-to-have,” be sure you aren’t presenting it as an ultimatum. When drawing up your plan, be sure to compare your request to the insight you gather through past interview discussions. Then prepare for questions/concerns based on those findings.

Prepare to Compromise:

After you process what terms in your work schedule and expectations are must-haves and what are nice-to-haves, start preparing to compromise. In most negotiations, the end result will tend to include some sort of halfway point between both parties. Prepare for what you’re willing to give up so you don’t end up agreeing to terms you aren’t happy with. Though you’ll be hoping your ideal flexible schedule can be achieved, go into the conversation with a few revisions to the proposal in your back pocket. We suggest preparing at least two alternative options to present. These will be useful in case the initial ask is too far off from the company's standard routine/comfort zone. If the employer is skeptical, a great compromise strategy is to suggest an initial trial period. This helps set both parties at ease. It gives you the opportunity to prove your ability by showing how successful you can be working a flexible schedule. With this deal, the employer won’t feel any pressure to commit to a permanent change.

Assess the Situation

Your next step in preparation should be to assess the situation and evaluate who you're negotiating with. Does the company you’re applying for embrace forward-thinking principles that align with a flexible schedule? Or do they encourage the traditional 9 to 5 work schedule? When the floor opens up for you to ask questions, take advantage of diving deeper into this topic. Present strategic questions to be answered that will give you further insight into their working culture and outlook. Questions surrounding what the typical working day looks like, whether you will be given portable equipment/computer, if you’ll be required to access emails outside of the office, as well as what it’s like interacting with team members and cross-functional departments. These questions usually lead to insightful responses from the interviewer that you can dissect.

Another topic that will help you gain further insight is asking about COVID-19 protocol. See how the company handled moving to a remote or flexible schedule. Ask how this may have changed their outlook on work, and the success it may have had for some departments. In most cases, the hiring manager’s facial expressions, tone, and body language will tell the whole story.

Present the Discussion:

Be absolutely sure to only present or mention the discussion around a flexible schedule after you receive an offer letter. This will ensure there is no animosity or negative inclinations when the employer is making their final hiring decision. When presenting your case, clearly map out what the options would look like. Ensure you're communicating your ask in a confident and positive way. Touch on how this flexible schedule will benefit them as an employer and as a company. This will help shift the focus from your personal needs.

As mentioned before, this is the time to use tangible data. Prove how you’ll be successful in an unconventional working environment. With any negotiation, remember to stay practical, not emotional. Leave your ego at the door. Don’t let pushback or skepticism throw your confidence. Keep a level head throughout the discussion and continue working toward a result you’ll both be happy with. In closing, reassure your continued commitment to the company. Share your appreciation for the job offer, and excitement to be successful in the role. Afterward, consider sending a thank you note!

Confirm the Consensus in Writing:

Though we’re sure companies will have the best intentions in mind, it is always important to get the discussion result in writing. You never know what kind of communication can get caught behind the scenes. It’s always best to cover your bases. A great way to do this is to kindly ask them to update the offer letter. Have them include the flexible schedule agreement you came to in your discussion. This protects both you and the company as it will include terms and conditions like initial trial periods and timelines. This will set expectations for progress reports down the line to discuss how it is going. This means no one will be caught off guard when the follow-up discussion is presented. Your manager will also stay diligent in monitoring how your flexible schedule is working throughout that trial time.

The typical working environment of 9 to 5 in the office is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Though it is still possible for a company to reject the idea of working remotely or offering flexible hours. Be prepared for this outcome and, if it happens, don’t get discouraged. This is why mapping out your must-haves early on in the process is important. This will help everyone come to a decision that they’ll be confident in long term. If you’re unable to reach an agreement and a flexible schedule is on your must-have list, it’s most likely not a great fit overall. In the end, the most important thing is to trust your gut. Understand your needs when it comes to choosing your next employer. As always, reach out to Blue Signal for any further guidance on how to facilitate conversations with hiring managers and negotiate terms that are beneficial to both yourself and a potential employer.