That’s it, you’re in front of the mirror getting ready for an interview for this opening you’ve always dreamed of … So you put on your best smile and walk through the front door. Here they are; A human resources professional and your future manager. You notice discolored paint on the wall, coffee stains on the floor and a receptionist who does not seem likely to appreciate her work. Is it really in this kind of company you want to join for the next few years?
In this day and age, in a context where there is a shortage of qualified IT talents, one can certainly become spoiled with different options of new gigs… And that’s when all the little details will add up to determine if both parties would like to go further with the seduction process and that’s whether you’re a candidate or employer!
A candidate’s perspective
With or without talent shortage, a candidate will have to distinguish himself from other potential candidates to stand out in the recruitment process. Some groundwork may allow you to maximize your chances of getting the job and catch the eye of the recruiter and / or the manager. Here are a few tips:
► Hygiene and clothing : Chances are that you will have to share your oxygen with one of the employer’s representatives present at the interview. For this reason having good body hygiene can avoid unpleasant surprises because few people would be willing to share their workspace with someone who sends as a message that they are not paying attention to their own person by neglecting their hygiene . It goes without saying that too much perfume, for example, can prove to be more harmful if the recruiter has a sensitive nose. As for the clothing, know how to adapt! When interviewing for a big bank, a suit would be favorable since the banking sector is a corporate environment, while interviewing in a video game company, a beautiful t-shirt with jeans will do just fine.
► Know your journey : In fact, an interview looks a lot like “speed dating” in the sense that you have to catch the interest of people sitting on the other side of the table in a few minutes so they want call you back in a few days. In this sense, to ensure you count points on the scoreboard, make sure you know your job history as well as the biggest projects you have worked on … This will make sure you have confidence in your answers and will certainly have positive effects on your non-verbal.
► Know your limits : In technologies as in all spheres of life, it is impossible to know everything. It is therefore important to know your limitations and to recognize how you can be useful to your future employer. In addition, by opting for transparency, who knows … Maybe your future employer, will be ready to train you accordingly! In any case, transparency will ensure a” win win” outcome.
An employer’s perspective
It is essential for the employer to ensure an impeccable candidate experience at all stages of the recruitment process, from the posting itself to the onboarding of a new candidate. This will ensure that you are able to distinguish yourselves favorably from the competition and maximize your chances of attracting the best talents.
► An appropriate job description : In recent years, the “bucket list” type of job descriptions has gained considerable popularity. You will recognize them by their length as well as the list of technologies, which often proves to be very extensive and arbitrary. These types of job descriptions will scare off the right potential candidates because they are often so vague that they seem to have been written without any attention to detail. This type of job description is toxic to any talent acquisition process since it isn’t “sexy” at all. A more tailored approach linked to the precise reality of the job will certainly benefit you by attracting the right talents.
► Career page : Anyone who has already gone through the career page of a potential employer’s website has had to face a long and frustrating process (E.g. bugs, duplicates, duplication of information, etc.). It is therefore imperative for a company to facilitate the process by centralizing the requested information via the career tab or the CV of the candidate. A smooth and simple approach will cause less frustration and won’t discourage any potential hires.
► Workspaces : In a few words, offer workspace that matches the quality of work you would expect from your talents … In addition you will gain in productivity! (Capodagli, September-October 2010) The context: Do not be afraid to indicate in which context the candidate will be hired because he will undeniably find out sooner than later. Even in the event in which the new hire is replacing someone within your company, it may prove to be beneficial to tell the new recruit what expectations you have of him / her.
► Listen : Even though this step seems pretty easy to understand, it can often prove to be very controversial. If you ask a candidate what his/her aspirations will be in 5 years from now and you realize that they do not fit in with the career path your company can offer him/her, it would be the least of things to be transparent about it and thus avoid several hindrances … The candidate, even if proven to be an overall perfect fit, will greatly appreciate your transparency and will be able to make his decision knowledgeably.
► Follow-up : Make sure to follow up with your candidates, even with those who are not selected. This seems to be the least of things for certain but this standard procedure does unfortunately not reach consensus and will be very harmful in the long run and can stain your company’s reputation forever.
In conclusion, the traditional balance in which the employee had to charm throughout the recruitment process has been greatly shattered in recent years … With the inverted age pyramid as well as the scarcity of talent, especially in the IT field; It is essential that companies are distinguished by a flawless candidate experience and thus greatly maximize their return on investment as well as their employer branding (ROI).
