A job interview – whether it’s virtual or face to face – is a conversation between an applicant and a potential employer. Its purpose isn’t just to determine if an applicant is right for the job. It’s also for figuring out if both parties will benefit from the hire.
Clearly, job interviews are a two-way street.
So if potential employers commit job interview mistakes, they don’t just hurt their reputation. They also face the risk of missing out on hiring a great prospective employee.
If you’re an employer looking for talent, you need to avoid this. Here are a few common mistakes to watch out for.
Being late for the interview
When candidates come in for the interview, it’s your chance as an employer to make a good first impression. But if you make them wait for a long time (e.g. upwards of 15 minutes), you’re making yourself look bad.
Yes, you’re busy, but you should also assume that candidates are too. They likely have other things to do after your interview so respect their time.
Don’t think that because the candidate is applying for a job, it’s okay to be late and be unprofessional. You need them as much as they need you.
Not giving your applicants a timely welcome can affect their opinion of your company. Moreover, it could discourage them and affect how they do at the interview.
And if that specific candidate was one of the best in the industry, you’re missing out.
Not studying resumes beforehand
If someone takes the time to come in for a job interview, you should take the time to review their resume. Here’s why:
- It shows that you respect their qualifications.
- It signals your interest in the candidate.
- It helps you prepare for the interview so that you can ask relevant questions.
It’s not enough to scan a resume right then and there – you’ll likely miss key details about the candidate.
Not giving a candidate your full attention
When you’re interviewing a candidate, make sure you’re there 100%. Take notes, engage in active listening, and ask questions.
You may be thinking of a few business concerns, or perhaps you prefer another applicant. But right now, you’re talking to someone else – someone who went through the effort to:
- Research about your company.
- Be there on time.
- Prepare for the interview.
With these reasons, that person deserves your full attention. Who knows? You might realise that candidate is more deserving than your other prospect.
Asking inappropriate questions
Your questions should be relevant to the job the candidate is applying for. Don’t ask rhetorical questions, riddles, or anything too intricate (e.g. asking them to make a comprehensive marketing plan). This will just put off qualified applicants.
Refrain from asking personal questions as well. They could lead to legal implications. It doesn’t matter if you’re making small talk. If you ask them to reveal personal info, you might be liable in a discrimination lawsuit.
Jumping to conclusions
A CareerBuilder poll found that 50% of employers can tell if an applicant is a good fit for a role during the first 5 minutes of an interview. If there’s a suitable example of jumping to conclusions, it’s that.
Because determining how someone would perform in a job would take more than 5 minutes.
Granted, the results listed some strange things candidates did during interviews. Things that would disqualify anyone from an application. Like “screaming that the interview was taking too long”.
But consider that:
- There are candidates who are good at interviews but might not be the right person for the job.
- There are also qualified applicants who don’t do well at interviews, but are a great fit for the job.
The lesson here is that you shouldn’t be hasty about your assessments. Otherwise, you’ll miss a great hire or two.
Comparing yourself to candidates
Social comparison bias is the tendency to dislike someone who you may perceive as better in some way. It’s the notion that people determine their own worth based on how they compare with others.
This manifests in interviews when an employer may feel some competitiveness if they think an applicant is better than them. The problem is that no one is immune to this unconscious bias. If a hiring manager feels threatened enough, they might not hire a great candidate.
So how do we overcome social comparison if you’re unaware of it? Make a conscious decision to hire people who are better than you, even in areas that are your expertise.
Doing this doesn’t threaten your status; if anything, it strengthens your reputation. It says you’re all about results.
Deciding based on your current emotions
The affect heuristic is a mental shortcut people use to make automatic decisions based on their emotions. Whenever you’ve gone with your “gut feeling”, that’s likely the affect heuristic at work. Unfortunately, this can result in poor decision-making.
Let’s say you and the applicant were part of the same graduation class at uni. If you aren’t careful, the familiarity could influence you to hire the candidate even if they’re unqualified.
To circumvent this, hold structured panel interviews to offset any biases of individual interviewers. And because you’re asking the same questions, it’s easy to be impartial when assessing them.
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