A future in which we will coexist with machines and robots has never felt so close as today, and even more so with the already integrated artificial intelligence in so many aspects of our lives. And the days of human recruitment are numbered too.
Startups are a lifeline for our economy, with entrepreneurs venturing into an unfamiliar business landscape. And even though there are HR tools that can facilitate the recruitment process, without the aid of AI or robots, managers are still responsible for finding the ideal employees for their new business. Whether you are a hiring manager in an established company or you're hiring a startup's first employees, finding the best possible people with the right skills to fill the necessary position is a top priority for the success of your business.
This is why, at the most prestigious corporations, the role of the recruiter is completely autonomous. There are many skills necessary to become a good hiring manager, which you can gain through formal and informal education. For instance, if you have experience in conducting one-on-one coaching sessions you can be much more skilled at conducting an in-person interview. If you want to ace an interview without making any major mistakes, there are several steps you should follow.
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1. Define the Job Description
While it's true that this section can be sluggish at times, it's also crucial. You can simplify this job by dividing it into different parts.
First, think of a catchy job posting headline. Aside from defining the desirable qualities in the candidates, you should also sell yourself—pinpointing the best traits of your company to attract the ideal employees. Next, list the responsibilities and tasks. Aside from explaining what their obligations would be in their role, including the potential for growth within the companies, as well as any training you might be offering. Explain the company’s culture shortly, and most importantly the benefits. Finally, include accurate information about the salary.
2. Selecting the Best Applicants
You were responsible for creating the job posting, publishing it, circulating it online, and informing people about it through your network. And now, you can select from a large pool of qualified people who have already applied.
But how would you categorize them? Of course, before even writing a single word about the position, you already have a clear picture of your ideal candidate in mind.
The easiest way to classify all of the applicants is to divide them into “yes,” “no” and “maybe.” This will help you eliminate the candidates that aren’t suitable for the position for any reason.
Then you can continue narrowing down your choice according to any conditions you think are suitable. For instance, you can try to select the candidates that have most of the characteristics you are looking for. Finally, you can screen through the applicants by conducting a pre-interview, for instance, over the phone. This will help you narrow the pool of candidates further down.
3. The Interview
Finding the right people for each role is critical for the company’s growth, which is why successful companies invest in interview training for hiring managers. After narrowing down the pool of potential employees, it's time to conduct interviews with the top picks. Get the ball rolling by analyzing applicants' histories and current situations in preparation for meeting with them one-on-one.
If you take the time to prepare the interview questions in advance, you can rest assured that you won't forget any important topics. There is typically a standard set of questions that all candidates are asked, followed by more tailored questions for each position. By asking all applicants the same core questions, you may make more direct comparisons between them.
You should use a variety of questions to ensure you get responses that will guide your decision-making. Make use of both closed- and open-ended questions, as well as hypothetical and behavioral questions.
When interviewing candidates, it's more effective to offer open-ended behavioral questions such as "tell me about a time you dealt with a demanding management" than to ask them straight out how they handle conflict. While it's smart to have some answers ready in advance, you should also give room for questions that arise naturally. Ask clarifying questions if something (positive or negative) jumps out at you.
A good piece of advice is to ensure you have adequate downtime before and after each interview. In addition to being on time for the interview, you want to be in the correct frame of mind so that you can offer your complete focus to the conversation. Keep in mind that you need to make an impression on the candidate as well.
Next Steps
Although just one candidate will likely be hired after a series of interviews, it's still good practice to keep in touch with other candidates who seemed like a good fit for your company as well. Good hiring managers also follow up with each interviewee, to express gratitude for the time spent, and explain that they’ve decided to hire someone else.