When Your Candidate Interviews You

Jul 18 2017

People shaking hands in an interviewIt’s easy to quiz candidates about why you should hire them, but are you prepared to convince them that you’re the best employer? When interviewing a candidate, it’s easy to forget that they’re interviewing you too. Many employers glaze over why someone should pick their company. Whether it’s because you assume they already know how great your business is, or because you think that since they’ve applied to the job they must already be sold, it’s important not to forget to sell your company. This is especially true when speaking with passive candidates, or candidates who may be interviewing with multiple companies. Salary and benefits aside, here are 3 ways to sell your company to potential employees:

1. Brag a little (or a lot)
Make a list of your proudest accomplishments and statistics. Let them know if you’ve been recognized for anything, if you’ve implemented an innovative new technology, if you have amazing employee reviews, or if you have brag-worthy ratings online. You can also highlight your culture; is your company big and established, or small and growing? Is the office environment casual or corporate? Do you have awesome employee retention? Are there frequent employee outings? Whatever you tell them, make sure to be honest and speak to what excites you about your company, it shouldn’t be hard!

2. Talk about opportunities, not just the job description
Your candidate should know what the job entails, but there is so much left to say that is not included in your job description. If the role is open due to growth or to the promotion of another employee, that’s a great selling point! Discuss success stories of other employees. If you offer the chance to learn new skills, or if you sponsor continuing education—talk it up! If you have exciting new projects that your candidate will get to be a part of, be sure to highlight that. Every candidate is different and will be inspired and motivated by different things, so tailor your approach to the individual.

3. Tell a story
Another wonderful way to inspire candidates is to tell them a story – just don’t put them to sleep! If your company has an intriguing history, that can be great to share with a potential employee. This can mean telling the founder’s success story, or speaking about how far the business has come. Consider sharing your own success story. How did your journey with the company begin? By taking a little time to invest in creating a relationship, your candidate will feel more connected to you and to the company.

When you’re interviewing a great candidate, don’t assume that you’re their only choice. Talented people usually have options, so make sure your approach is genuine. Selling your company effectively is about demonstrating why you’re excited to come to work every day and what makes your business unique. Aim to share information that helps them become emotionally invested in your brand and your story.

Happy Hiring!

Amanda GuzmanGuest Blogger: Amanda Guzman
Bio: Amanda is an HR Consultant with Peoplr who specializes in recruiting and interviewing. She has a degree in Psychology from the University of Florida and loves being able to help job seekers find opportunities that are a great match for their skill set. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her dogs, Khaleesi and Starke.

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