The hiring process is a time consuming minefield for any employer – writing the engaging advert, wading through forests of CVs in response, interviewing the stars that stood out from the crowd, making that offer to the applicant you fell in love with and then… disappointment.
The perfect applicant, who was so keen at the interview, has decided that the position is “not for them” and the employers are often left mystified as to why. More often than not, it is the employers themselves that created this outcome; the reason? The INTERVIEWER did not SELL THE COMPANY.
Competition in the job market is not only a threat for jobseekers, but for hirers alike.
REMEMBER, an interview is a two-way buying and selling process – the applicant “sells” themselves and “buys” back the job opportunity, whilst the interviewer “buys” the right applicant AND “sells” their company as their “employer of choice”. Only when these two aspects are given equal attention and addressed effectively, by both parties, is the recruitment process successful.
So, as the face of the company at that moment, how does an interviewer “sell” their company whilst assessing an applicant’s skills and expertise effectively?
Do your homework
It’s not just interviewees that need to prepare. If an interviewer is ill prepared, the positive image of the company you are trying to portray can be tarnished. There is nothing more off putting than a disinterested interviewer who has not taken the time to get to “know” the applicants and their career aspirations.
Read their CV, their cover letter, their LinkedIn profile to gauge what their motivators are in their professional development – understand what that applicant wants and MATCH IT – emphasise the aspects of the job opportunity and company that mirror those desires.
Sell those benefits
When “buying” anything, testimonials and recommendations are “king” – make sure you “sell” how happy your current workforce are and what keeps them that way. Ask your current employees what attracted them to you in the first place and why they remain with you. More often than not, it’s not all about the money; it’s about the whole package – culture and ethos – highlight the perks that are offered by the company, and emphasise how you retain your staff.
Know the competition
Any salesperson will tell you – to successfully sell your product you need to know what you are up against. This will require more homework on the interviewer's part, but the rewards will be worth it. Assess your offering with those of your competitors, even ask your applicants where else they are interviewing and whether the package they are offering differs and how?
Beware of the oversell
There is a delicate balance that an interviewer needs to achieve here. Do not be guilty of overselling the company – or the offering being made – now or in the future. Expectations need to be set correctly, on both sides – don’t promise what the company, or job opportunity, cannot deliver.
Understanding why the applicant wants to join you from the outset will greatly increase your chances of a successful hire of that right applicant. As an interviewer, the more informed you are about your brand, its strengths and weaknesses, and what motivates your applicant, the better position you will be in to “close” that deal with a job offer that the right candidate will find hard to resist.
Interviewing this week? It’s time to get selling.
