The cutthroat competition to secure a stable employment has strained job seekers in the rat race to excel. A number of candidates applying for a single vacancy has transformed as the rule being a common matter for the generation. For hiring agencies or companies, finding out the right person from among hundreds of candidates is almost a direful job. HRs need to ensure that the hiring is error free fetching the best candidates for the position. Among tons of CVs, selecting the right one within a limited time is certainly not an easy task.
Screening of applications begins soon after the announcement of the vacancy. Determining the candidate’s profile before the interview is essential as this helps in filtering the questionnaire for that particular candidate. Hiring the right candidate is a decisive step since it determines the overall returns, cost on training, recruitments, and investment of the company. Good candidates are stable, consistent, have low operating costs, and they have the ability to perform. The process of carrying out interviews narrows down the pool of candidates even more. Choosing a candidate is done by comparing the candidate's qualifications to a pre-determined list of qualifications or criteria necessary to perform the job.
Interviews are most effective when they include questions based on a careful analysis of job functions. Interviews should be consistent throughout candidates and should focus on evaluating the interviewee’s interpersonal and communication skills. Involving more than one interviewer in the process of face-to-face interaction with the candidate is effective. Observing the candidate from different prospects offers different viewpoints leading to a better evaluation. While interviewing the candidate, the interviewer analyzes the body language and the communication skills. Confidence level, knowledge of the candidate, and command over language; these factors must be considered with equal weight.
The wit of the candidate and choice of words also plays a great role in the analysis process. Listening carefully to candidate’s replies on the questions will help the interviewer to ask questions accordingly. Asking appropriate questions in the interview is essential. The frequency of response of both the interviewee and the interviewer should match. The candidate should understand the question well and answer accordingly. To-the-point answers are proven as plus point for any candidate. Keeping the answers simple and clear, pinpointing thoughts and ideas into words gives the candidate an advantage.
The recruitment cell conducts tests and examinations to ensure that each applicant fits the profile. In some cases, there might be a need to test the performance of the candidate in written or verbal tests or with the use of any other required employment test. Technology can be utilized in here. Conducting these tests helps to review the performance of the candidate in a better way.
The interviewer should also focus on past performance of the interviewee. This aspect also helps to analyze work behavior and attitude of the candidate. Checking references is an important step in the hiring process. Doing a background study and a reference study of the candidate the recruiter is planning to hire will help the recruiter to take the decision.
A good way to test the candidate is questioning about the company. Therefore, thick knowledge about the company, their clients, campaigns carried out, and any recent news will put any candidate on a better edge. Many a times, candidates are not fully aware about the company they apply for the interview.
Another way to test candidates is to question them about any particular issue and observe their approach in solving them. This is simulation of a real time scenario. This could be any hypothetical situation or a problem that the organization or the particular industry is facing. This will help the interviewer to evaluate the knowledge level of candidate’s creativity, ability to perform within a deadline, and their blend of mind.
Candidate must be asked about how according to him or her has been the growth of the organization and the industry. Additionally, about what trend the organization or the industry will face in coming time. Concisely, the insight of the candidate on the company, industry and their prospects must be evaluated. This allows determining their own prospects in the industry apart from determining their interest in the industry.
Industry and organizations are through continuous process of evolution. Hence, their requirements, the blend of workforce and employment criteria also changes with time. The HR industry too has changed and new methodologies for recruitment are at hand. HR being more integrated to the process operation within an organization is through a transformational phase shifting from static to strategic operations. Moreover, technology has revolutionized the whole paradigm of recruitment and hiring of candidates. Technology materializing as the mainstream even in HR space has rendered specific changes in their processes, cutting down cost of operation as well as time required. The HR domain will undergo more changes with new and evolving hiring traits.
(Author Vidur Gupta, Director at Spectrum Talent Management)
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