Revealing Tips from a Recruiter: Ask Your Candidates “Has Anything Changed?”

July 14, 2014 in HR Best Practices

 

 

Great questions are powerful tools in gauging a candidate’s potential fit within your organization – and preventing unpleasant surprises.

Are you asking the right ones, throughout the recruiting process?

Several months ago, we shared a list of questions for food & beverage hiring managers that engage job seekers and prompt discussion to help. Today, we’d like to add one more to the list:

“Has anything changed?”

On the surface, this question sounds simple – almost an afterthought. But, as they say, “life happens” during your recruiting process:

  • Job seekers gain new skills and experience.
  • Interviewees forget important information you discuss during the initial interview.
  • Candidates reassess their employment situation – and are presented with new opportunities.

In other words, circumstances can change in an instant – and have a big impact on your recruiting efforts.

So when you reconnect with candidates, never make assumptions. Use these tips to prevent surprises – and increase your chances of hiring your first choice:

From VP Laurie Hyllberg:

  • After you receive a candidate’s resume, follow-up to see if he has any additional questions about the position you discussed. Ask if anything changed when he went home to think about the opportunity and talk to his family.
  • When scheduling the phone interview, be sure to ask if there is anything coming up on the candidate’s calendar which may require accommodation.
  • While preparing a candidate for an interview, or debriefing him afterward, ask:
    • What did you think about the company, the hiring manager and the job?
    • What is your interest level in the role?
    • Has anything changed in your situation at work or at home that I need to be aware of?

From Recruiter Russell Lilly:

  • After the interview, ask your candidate if there were any questions he had that the interviewer was unable to answer.
  • Specifically ask about other opportunities that the candidate may be pursuing. This can be helpful in identifying his timeline and any potential competing offers down the road.
  • If your candidate is considering more than one position, ask him to compare one opportunity to another. This may help you identify his areas of strength or weakness, or better understand his motivations (i.e., why he is seeking a new opportunity).

Knowledge is power.

Use variations of “has anything changed” (like the ones listed above) to find ways to solidify your opportunity in the candidate’s mind, or chip away at another. At the end of the day, a candidate needs to take the position that he feels is the best fit for his goals. Knowing what those are and how your opportunity can address those goals can greatly increase the likelihood of offer acceptance.

Kinsa Group – A Better Way to Hire Food & Beverage Professionals

As a national food & beverage recruiter, The Kinsa Group has the resources and interviewing expertise to deliver executive and c-level food & beverage professionals with the skills, experience and personality to thrive in your organization.  We use professionally trained interviewers, a wide array of assessments, thorough background checks and satisfaction guarantees to ensure the long-term success of your next hire.