Recruitment interview

I have 4 years experience in recruitment interviews, as a candidate or as an interviewer.

I have started during my studies. During the first interview, I was very nervous, as if those recruiters were there to punish me. Therefore, I didn’t succeed. I wasn’t able to present the relevant details about me or, better said, there was lack of self confidence.

Meanwhile, I succeed in improving my self confidence.

I don’t want to give any advice on how to behave during an interview, I will present the recruitment interview from my perspective, as for me, as a recruiter, I look at it is an opportunity to know my candidates. I never did interviews as cross-examinations, my interviews can be described more as professional dialogs, a professional exchange of information.

What am I looking for?

1. the facts from the selected resumes – Some of the candidate add irrelevant information, others leave out some of their previous experience, considering it as not important. My goal is to identify relevant competencies and the mainly soft skills required for the open position. The previous experiences are important for the things that have been learned, used or achieved; what kind of events did the candidate deal with; which are the environmental conditions that make him successful and work at his full potential.

2. motivation and values – what is rewarding for the candidate. It’s important for me, as recruiter to compare the candidate’s needs with the company’s offer (direction and vision, the environment, the tasks, the opportunities to grow, the Comp&Ben solution); to have a perfect overlap means to have a dedicated, loyal, great chances for a performer employee. Besides motivation, relevant is the self perception of a candidate, the attitude and the way he stands up for his beliefs.

3. goals - I am not looking necessary for SMART goals. Each of us has his own personal/professional plans for the future ( be it short, medium or long term). These goals are important for the company, for they foretell how the life in the company is integrated in these goals, how his assignments are affected by them or how the latter affect the candidate’s goals. Can company contribute to these personal/professional goals? Can a long term engagement be considered between candidate and company?

It’s not a recruiter’s task to check technical competencies; that’s why if the recruiter finds a workable link between the company and the candidate, there will might be a second interview with the hiring manager (future manager).

It is however, very important to adapt interviews to each job profile, to each individual candidate. These three points above are what I have in mind every time I start a new interview. The questions are different, appropriate for the position and level of experience.

Dear candidates, the recruitment interviews are not battles, there are no winners and losers, these are just some learning opportunities, let’s say; maybe to get to know yourself better. Every time the plan is to find the perfect match. However, it is sometimes smart to wait for the right job.