How employers can use interviews to attract the best embedded software skills in the UK
The recruitment process offers key opportunities to showcase your brand and attract top talent, with the interview being a crucial moment to stand out to candidates and gain an edge over competitors.
Every step of the recruitment process is a prime opportunity to position your brand ahead of the competition in order to help secure the best talent. The interview itself is potentially your organisation’s best opportunity to promote its brand, and for you to get ahead of your competitors in the view of those that matter most: the candidates.
Here are some key points for any interviewer to keep in mind:
Communicate clearly – and regularly
Setting clear expectations and communicating from day one of your interaction with the candidate in a concise and coherent manner is the best way to present your brand in a positive light. There’s no point in promising the world and everything in it, when the individual will only want to know the truth about the position, what’s expected from them and what they can get from you. This means focusing on information that’s relevant to the role both prior and during the interview, including responsibilities, salary and working arrangements, and any other factors that may be of interest and use.
If the process requires more than one interview then ensure the candidate is aware of what’s involved, and that you are keeping in touch with them at every stage. This transparency will not only give the candidate a great experience, but also save you time further down the line if they are planning on dropping out of the process.
Don’t drag it out
If you require six or seven different stages to ascertain whether a candidate is right for you or not, then your interviewing technique needs to be improved. Adding unnecessary hoops to jump through and multiple stages to attend virtual or in-person meetings will only put off the best candidates who will be able to find a similar job, requiring fewer interviews, elsewhere. Instead, identify where the process could be expedited, and whether separate stages could be merged to provide a more enjoyable – and quicker - experience.
Be realistic
Being realistic – and fair - about salary expectations is equally essential. The vast majority of professionals work to live, and when a company undervalues them by offering a salary that is significantly lower than industry standards or the candidate's qualifications and experience, it can lead to several negative outcomes.
The so-called ‘lowballing’ of a candidate can create a feeling of disrespect and is possibly the best – and quickest - way of disengaging them from the role. The person you’re speaking to will have spent time and effort preparing for the interview. If they receive a low offer that does not reflect their worth, it may lead to disappointment and frustration, and potentially leave a negative impression of the company. These behaviours can also damage your employer's brand in the long run. Word travels fast in professional circles, and candidates who feel undervalued are likely to share their experiences. This can deter other potential talent from applying in the future, as a reputation for unfair compensation can spread quickly.
Respect a candidate's time and motivations
Along similar lines, imagine you are interviewing someone and they arrive 10 minutes late. It doesn’t set the best first impression, does it? The same principle applies with candidates. Being punctual and doing things when you say you will sets a positive precedent and suggests that the organisation is well-run and respectful. Equally, being late sends a negative message and candidates may begin to question what working at the company is really like. These marginal and seemingly minor variations can make all the difference between whether a candidate chooses you, or another rival employer.
Treat the candidate as an individual
Recognising that candidates have different individual motivators and drivers is also vital and adapting your offer and approach accordingly can make all the difference. Consider the stage of life that an individual is at; if they have recently started a family, then offering perks like parental leave are likely to be more valuable than discounted gym memberships. Or if they’re approaching retirement age, a better pension package may have more of an impact than with a more junior team member. Adapting your approach to the individual is a must, and a one-size-fits-all strategy won’t cut it anymore, particularly in a skills-short market like embedded software.
Give feedback
Even if the candidate is unsuccessful, you must look to provide prompt and detailed feedback. The individual might not only be suitable for a role in the future, but a lack of engagement after the event could lead to them sharing negative experiences with other professionals, which can only harm your employer brand.
Putting the work in at the interview stage can make all the difference. Keep in mind that this is also the candidate’s opportunity to find out whether your firm is right for them, so ensuring you focus on promoting yourselves in the most professional way possible can set you apart from other, rival organisations. Ultimately, when competition for the best talent is rife, the candidate experience needs to be top-notch. If your organisation is struggling to source game-changing expertise to help lead you forward in this rapidly evolving environment, get in touch with our expert team.
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