Interviewing Candidates:

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How long should the initial phone interview take?

• Depends

  • 5 minutes to 30+ minutes based on the candidate’s match.

• Remember, time is the only asset we have so keep the calls to a minimum.  

 

How do we build a good rapport with the candidate, starting the call?

1. Tell the candidate how you found them

2. Let them know you are calling from a recruiting firm, HireResources

3. Let them know that based on their background you see them as being a strong match for a role your client is looking to fill

   • If it’s a scheduled call, they should know this beforehand

 

When we interview a candidate for a client’s role what are we looking for?

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1. Communication skills

2. Location of candidate vs the role we are filling

3. What is the tenure of the candidate? Why did they move from roles?

4. Do they have industry experience?

5. What types of companies have the worked for compared to the client?

6. Are they actively searching, passive, or just kicking tires?

7. What types of accomplishments do they have that will make them an MPC, Most Place-able Candidate?

 

What are the specific questions you ask on this call?

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Each client has different qualifications, so you will need to customize your questions to those needs. Some commonly asked questions:

1. Why are you open to making a move now or why did you leave you last role?

2. Are you interviewing with any companies currently?

3. What types of role are you looking for in your next move?

4. What did you dislike about your last job?

5. What did you like about your last job?

6. Why did you accept your last role?

7. What specifically are you looking for in your new role?

8. What does your dream job look like?

9. Red-flags – identify all the red flags on this call to save you time and frustration!

   1. Some red-flags are:

      1. Large bonus coming in 6 months!

      2. Non-compete agreement

      3. Need 4-6 weeks’ vacation time

      4. Scheduled vacation, wedding, or time off needed

      5. Need school reimbursement

      6. Require visa sponsorship

      7. Family approval, did they talk with family about making a career move?

      8. And so on…

 

Important things to cover:

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1. SELL your client, know the client!

   1. Years in business

   2. Competitive advantages

   3. Working environment and culture

   4. Average tenure

   5. Growth projection, etc.…

2. SELL the job! Why is the role exciting?

   1. Why is the role open?

   2. Why would they leave a job for this position?

   3. What are the roles qualifications compared to the candidates?

   4. Why would they be a great match for this role?

   5. What is the career path in the role, growth projection?

   6. Tell them about the hiring manager, sell their personality. (If appropriate)

3. Explain your relationship with the hiring company and/or manager

4. Let them know your experience in the industry and contacts

5. What are their salary expectations to consider making a move?

6. If they are not a match, who else on their team would be qualified for the role?

7. Are they hiring at their company and who is the person you can contact?

8. Ask if they have interest in being considered for the role?

9. Ask for them to send you an updated resume if interested.

   1. Make sure it includes all their notable accomplishments!

   2. Candidate forget to add them so make sure you go over this with them.

10. Before sending anyone to a client:

    1. Send the candidate the job description

       1. Ask them to include all the experience they possess that is listed within that description. This is so important, making the resume mirror the job as much as possible!

       2. Make sure the resume includes notable accomplishments

       3. Make sure the formatting is acceptable

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Note: Always connect with the person on LinkedIn and let them know you will be sending them an invite to connect.

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