Preparing for a job interview can be a nerve-wracking experience for a candidate. But, as a hiring manager, it’s a difficult task for you too. You are only given a few opportunities before making a hire to meet with a candidate and vet them, ask questions and get what you need before moving on to the next step.
Preparing for a job interview can be a nerve-wracking experience for a candidate. But, as a hiring manager, it’s a difficult task for you too.
You are only given a few opportunities before making a hire to meet with a candidate and vet them, ask questions and get what you need before moving on to the next step.
But while this is a chance for you to get to know candidates, the job interview also works the other way around. It’s a candidate’s chance to make sure an employer is the right culture fit for them. There are obvious questions about the job’s responsibilities you can expect to hear, but there are also others that have become more important—over the past two years, especially.
Candidates are coming to interviews prepared to ask questions and as a hiring manager, you need to make sure you are prepared to come back with a strong answer if you want to hire top talent.
SO, HERE ARE 5 COMMON QUESTIONS CANDIDATES ARE ASKING EMPLOYERS BEFORE THEY CONSIDER TAKING A JOB.
Is this a hybrid/remote work opportunity?
Working in an office used to be the norm for everyone. But, a lot can change in a few short years. More and more companies are offering either permanent remote work opportunities or creating more hybrid work opportunities for employees. In fact, many employees have gone as far as to say they would leave a job if an employer asked them to go back into the office full time. For candidates, it’s important to ask this question early on. You need to be prepared to have a definitive answer.
Is there an opportunity for growth?
Employees value professional development. In this report from PWC, 74% of employees say they would be open to learning new skills in order to remain employable. Are you able to offer a candidate an opportunity to grow at the company?
What are your company’s values?
Candidates are looking for a company whose values align with their own, and they don’t want to run the risk of taking a job only to find out several months later that they are not the right culture fit.
How do you handle feedback and criticism?
It’s important to know how supervisors measure success and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The answer you give candidates when they ask you this question may tell you if the way you offer critique will help employees grow and further develop.
What are your company’s views on work/life balance?
Over the past two years, employees’ priorities have shifted. People have begun to focus on what they can do to prioritize their life and how the job they do fits in with it instead of it being the other way around. The answer you give a candidate helps them determine if a company’s priorities align with theirs.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ANSWERS
The current job market is highly competitive. If you want to make sure you secure the best talent for your business, you need to be prepared and know exactly what candidates in this market want.
So, here are some of the best things you can do to prepare to start taking interviews.
- Align with leadership: Start from the top down. Make sure you align with leadership to be able to provide answers to each of these questions as they are asked.
- Evaluate those growth opportunities: Candidates are looking for a career that offers them an opportunity to pursue their passions. Make sure you are able to foster an environment where growth is possible.
- Don’t take a “no” personally: In the current job market, candidates have a lot of leverage, and it’s likely that the best talent is being pursued by other businesses. If you answer all of the questions above truthfully and offer a position to someone only to have them turn you down, a hiring manager can’t take this personally. There will be other candidates who will be the right fit!
If you need someone to help you strategize and plan to make new hires, reach out to us! We would love to partner with you.