In the current state of Allied Health, candidates hold all the power
You can always trust us at Medijobs Australia to give you the cold, hard truth! We’re not here to mince words, we’re here to match incredible Allied Health professionals with their dream employers.
So, with that in mind, here’s some information we think some (or many!) employers need to hear about their current interview style. Spoiler – you’re probably doing it wrong!
The feedback that we receive from MANY of our candidates is that all too often, employers let themselves down in interviews.
The problem? They haven’t done their research on the candidate! They’re not engaging! They’re way too militant and they turn candidates off.
You might be a great company, but your interview technique (or lack thereof) is letting you down.
You should view each candidate interview like a date and put your best foot forward. The candidate should walk away thinking, “I want to work for this company!”
But instead, many companies are making mistakes like these:
- Interviews are stale and un-engaging
- Interviewers know barely anything about the candidate
- The person presenting the interview is cold
- Pre-interview screenings are arduous and a huge turn-off
- There is nothing in the interview to make the candidate feel excited about that company
Let’s be real. In this current market, candidates rule.
Most candidates will go to at least 4 interviews before they settle on a job. They’re literally comparing you to your competition! And with the job market like it is, you really can’t afford to lose quality candidates to poor interview technique.
The person you select to interview cannot be dry! Your interview format cannot be boring! It’s time for an interview revamp!
HOW TO HOST GREAT JOB INTERVIEWS
Value a candidate’s time
With the rise and rise of remote job interviews, job seeking is easier than ever. Candidates can interview for any job in the country in their lunch break.
This, they appreciate. What they don’t appreciate is being made to show up for interviews 3 or 4 times! Do you really need to have 3 separate interviews?! Consider this.
Also consider how long you keep an offer valid for. Do not rush candidates with offers that are valid for 24 hours! Don’t pressure them into making rushed decisions, especially when you’ve taken weeks to complete your multi-stage interview process.
Present Your Best Person
The question of who should conduct the interview should be given a lot of consideration. Whoever you choose should be able to sell your business, while also being someone that the candidate will interact, engage or relate with in their day-to-day role.
Choose an interviewer who is keen and engaging! You really want to impart a passion for the business for the candidate to want to choose you.
Ask yourself who will the candidate be working with? Who works in the specialty we’re hiring into? Chances are, the answer is unlikely to be a member of HR. Make adjustments accordingly..
Do Your Research
Just like a job-seeker, be prepared!
They’ll be wondering, ‘What do you know about me before I walk in here, considering I have 4 other interviews?’
Let the candidate know that you’ve done research. If they come through a recruiter, they’ve probably taken the time to get to know the candidate. Ask them what they know about the candidate as a person.
If you’re not working with a recruiter, try scanning their LinkedIn profile or checking out their other socials.
And don’t forget, your candidate is more than just a resume – they’re a human! So try to get to know them on a human level. We strongly suggest you find an area of common ground because candidates are getting offered huge amounts of money by most potential employers. So, make them feel valued for who they are as a person to stand out from your competition.
BOOK A CALL WITH A MEDIJOBS EXPERTListen
The days of the job-seeker bending over backwards for you are over! Jobs now need to suit THEM, not the other way around. Listen to what the candidate wants and what’s important to them and show some flexibility. Not all job-seekers are at the same stage of life, so you may need to adjust the way you pitch your job according to the individual in front of you. Maslow’s Hierarchy anyone? Eg, Graduates want different things compared to job-seekers with 5 yrs experience vs candidates with 15+ years experience. Customise your pitch to your target audience.
Sell yourself
You’ve got to sell your benefits! We understand that there needs to be some process when it comes to interviews. By all means, follow the interview format, but sell it!
How? Easy. Ask yourself, what’s so good about working here? Then share that in the interview!
Act like you’re keen!
There’s no use playing it cool. Candidates want enthusiasm! Make them feel like you really want them. Remember – candidates are having lots of interviews; they will compare the way you make them feel compared to other interviewers. Keep in mind, what you said might be forgotten, what you did might be forgotten, but how you made them feel shall be remembered.
Be careful about screening
The feedback we’re getting from candidates is that screenings are killing interviews. Most organisations lead with an HR person conducting a screening. Is this the best person to sell the job? Is this step even necessary? Or could a form do it?
First impressions matter, so customise your screening interviews so candidates don’t get put off!
Book a free call with us to get more screening adviceBe real
Give candidates real answers, not fluff! Chances are, they’re doing the job already, so they know what’s what! If they’re not doing the job yet, they want to know how you’re going to help them grow. They want concrete answers!
Make interviews engaging AKA Think Outside the Box
Do your interviews really have to take place in an office? We recently placed a candidate whose interview took place at the pub! This won’t suit everyone, but it suited him and he was thrilled! It felt personal and fun.
On top of that, when you’re in the interview, do everything you expect your candidate to do. Your phone, watch and other devices should be off.
It’s a short amount of time so use it as best you can.
If this seems extreme, heed our warning: Don’t be complacent in this market; things have changed. You need to focus on selling your company to candidates and really highlighting why they should work for you, not the other way around.
If you’re having trouble getting new Allied Health candidates to work with you, or you’d like to get honest feedback on your interview process, get in touch:
Call us on 1300 905 373 | Email info@medijobs.com and one of our team will call you back.
or
BOOK A CALL WITH ONE OF OUR RECRUITMENT SPECIALISTS
