[2-minute insight]

You’ve posted your job ad, screened the CV’s and completed interviews but how invested are your candidates after you’ve interviewed them? Let’s look at what I mean by candidate investment.

Words are easy to come by but, as the adage goes, actions speak louder than words. What post-interview behaviours is your favoured candidate(s) showing, which indicate whether or not they want to be part of your organisation?

1. Post-Interview Acknowledgement

The Executive Managing Editor at Insider Inc. has one hard and fast precept when it comes to post-interview candidate selection.

I’ve been hiring people for 10 years, and I still swear by a simple rule: if someone doesn’t send a thank-you email, don’t hire them.

insider inc.

Sound harsh doesn’t it? Personally, I don’t like or agree with this approach to candidate selection for the following reasons:

a) Emails can get lost in the ether, land in an unattended spam folder or get accidently deleted.
b) The potential of losing out on an ideal skilled, experienced and motivated new hire to a competitor, is too great for the sake of one email.

I’m sure there’s more backstory to this quote but what occurred to me is the allusion to candidate viability post-interview. E.g. Looking for signs of investment for the long-term.

When a candidate attends an interview, the investment is there. However, maybe it didn’t go well for them or they realised the role wasn’t suitable. If so, a change of mind ensues, as does the potential to ghost you.

If an interview has gone well, invested candidates who takes extra time to give thanks can be a reflection of them really wanting the job. Especially if they have shown resourcefulness in finding your email address (if not previously given).

A polite “thank you” email shows appreciation for your time and interest. It’s symptomatic of courteous behaviour likely to reflect back upon your people and clients if hired.

2. Post-Interview tasks

Another positive sign of invested candidates, post-interview, is willingness to complete any follow-on task you’ve set them such as a sample of their work or a profile evaluation. In my experience, it’s rare but it does happen.

If your candidate is hesitant to complete any kind of appropriate profile e.g. DISC (behavioural), Motivational Maps or Gallup’s Clifton Strengths etc., this suggests they could be afraid their profile will highlight something they’d rather not be identified!

Whilst profiling is non-judgmental, some candidates may be unaware so it’s important to reassure them of this beforehand. I always assure candidates that there is no judgement of them, no right or wrong and no pass or fail, only differences.

This all being said, not completing a post-interview profile or a follow-on task is a sign they’re not fully invested in the job. I know this because on the rare occasions it’s happened, clients have fed back to me that the candidate has accepted a job elsewhere.

For the most part, invested candidates will complete a profile evaluation or follow-on task. There are however some further points to consider:

  • Did they complete within the given time frame?
  • Did they check their spam folder for any further communication from you or your instructed profile provider?
  • What was their response to being asked to complete a further task? Were they open and willing or did they show signs of hesitancy?
  • Did their follow-on task represent what you asked for?
  • Did their profile results match up with aspects of their CV and interview?

All the above can help you determine whether your candidates are a red or green light to hire. Subsequently, whether or not they’re the right person for your business for the long-term.

Samantha Lynne
I help business owners & hiring managers streamline candidate interviews to make right-first-time hires for the long-term.