How to Make a Candidate Feel Comfortable in an Interview
Interviewing is stressful. This applies to you, as well as to your candidates. While some nervousness and anxiety are to be expected, an overstressed candidate can pose a problem. They may not be able to perform at their full potential, which not only makes it miserable for them, but also difficult for you to make an informed decision.
Candidates will do better when they feel at ease during their interview. And for you, it will be more conducive to building rapport and giving a better impression of yourself and your organization. Here are six tips for easing a candidate naturally through their interview:
Don’t make a person wait too long.
Candidates are reminded over and over again to be on time for their interviews – yet many interviewers still seem to think that it’s okay for them to show up late. It’s really not. The time and effort devoted to a job interview should be based on mutual respect for one another.
Build comfort into the interview location.
Have you thought about how your interview room actually looks and feels to an outsider? This could have a significant impact on a candidate’s performance. Make sure the room is comfortable, well-lighted and ventilated, and feels more like a meeting room than a cubicle or closet.
Offer a proper welcome.
When it comes to greeting job candidates, be courteous and professional. If you are unable to greet them yourself, assign this important task to one of your superstar team members. Have your delegate visit with them for at least a few minutes and ask them if they’d like a soft drink. This will perk their confidence and immediately bolster their comfort level.
Keep the tone informal.
Try to keep the tone of your conversation with a candidate as informal as possible. Start off with some casual, softball questions about the weather, a local sports team, or whatever establishes a comfort level right from the start. This can go a long way toward relieving stress and nervousness.
Steer clear of tough questions in the beginning.
Save your tougher questions for the middle of an interview or towards the end. Asking difficult questions right up front can add to stress and pressure. Plan ahead so that the toughness of your questions increases gradually. Sure, you want to learn how a candidate handles pressure – but bombarding them with killer questions at the outset is generally not a good idea.
Pay attention to your body language.
Maintaining positive body language is crucial on both sides of the interview table. If you want to put your candidate at ease, start by smiling sincerely, and don’t be afraid to share a laugh if the opportunity arises. Avoid showing any signs of tension on your part during the interview. The same goes for boredom: avoid yawning, looking at your phone, frowning a lot, or crossing your arms.
Looking for More Interview Tips?
At Frontline Source Group, our candidates have already passed through our thorough screening process. We’re ready to offer you only the cream of the crop in contract, contract-to-hire and direct hire options in tech and IT, HR, oil and gas, engineering, administrative, accounting and finance, customer service and more. Contact us today for additional advice on optimizing all your interviewing and other hiring process experiences.
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Published on Aug 28, 2019