Why this matters:
Job descriptions are often prospective applicants’ first point of contact with your organization — and they will set the tone for the rest of your interaction with them. Your recruiters need to be well-versed in the art of writing job descriptions that are informative, engaging, and motivate the right people to apply.
What to listen for:
- Mentions of the importance of using positive and inclusive language in job descriptions
- Techniques for making positions more attractive, such as highlighting specific benefits
- Examples in which they helped an organization increase the number of applicants for a position
Why this matters:
A specialized recruiter may be a good option for organizations seeking to fill highly technical roles or where talent competition is high. Ideal candidates will be highly familiar with talent needs and requirements in your sector and demonstrate a track record of successfully sourcing high-quality candidates for organizations like yours.
What to listen for:
- Top candidates will have expert knowledge of skill sets in your sector and a strong network in your industry
- Examples of recruiting for positions that your organization may be struggling to fill
- Knowledge of the best channels for connecting with the talent you need
Why this matters:
Depending on your organization’s needs and the number of candidates your recruiters have to assess, they may need to use recruiting tools such as applicant tracking systems. Familiarity with the applications used in your organization is a plus, but don’t disqualify candidates who have not had the opportunity to work with those tools yet.
What to listen for:
- Up-to-date knowledge of recruiting tools — plus the ability to describe how they integrate them into their process
- Ability to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each technology and explain how they work around those limitations
Why this matters:
Deciding whether someone will be a good hire can be very difficult, but there are steps that experienced recruiters can take to up their chances of making a good choice. It’s essential that your candidate understands the importance of looking at the whole picture when assessing an applicant and taking into consideration how their skills and personality will help or hinder their future team and the organization as a whole.
What to listen for:
- Top candidates will integrate observations, assessments, and quality-of-hire metrics to arrive at an informed decision
- A flexible process that adapts to each situation’s unique variables
- A track record of successfully obtaining quality hires for similar organizations
Why this matters:
Hiring is never a straightforward process, and mistakes are inevitable. Good recruiters know this and take note of their mistakes so that they can make better hiring decisions in the future. Your candidate should display an above average ability to self-correct and leverage their mistakes into learning experiences.
What to listen for:
- Use of respectful language when referring to the hire will provide you with insight into your candidate’s general attitude toward others
- A focus on where they went wrong, rather than how the candidate failed
- Details of how they integrated those learnings into their work
Why this matters:
Proactive recruiters will put a lot of effort into building a pool of qualified candidates they can draw from whenever the need arises. Great candidates will take into account elements such as a position’s rate of turnover, your organization’s future operational needs, and events such as unexpected resignations to effectively manage their pipelines.
What to listen for:
- Top candidates will use a diversity of channels for building active and passive talent pools
- Knowledge of which sourcing channels are best suited for the talent you’re seeking
- A process that prioritizes internal candidates and hiring from within
Why this matters:
Recruiters are the first point of contact of future hires with your organization. That first interaction will have a deep impact on a candidate’s perception of your organization, their performance during the recruiting process, and ultimately on their decision to accept a job offer. Your recruiters should be committed to go above and beyond to provide all applicants with an excellent candidate experience.
What to listen for:
- Top recruiters will focus on creating opportunities for candidates to showcase their best abilities
- Examples in which they went above and beyond to build a rapport with interviewees
- A clear understanding of their role as ambassadors for your employer brand
Why this matters:
Great interviews mix simple questions with more complex ones — plus the occasional curveball that weeds out stand-out candidates from average ones. Your recruiters should be adept at striking a balance between pushing candidates to think outside the box to obtain a deeper insight into their thought process without making them too uncomfortable or confused.
What to listen for:
- Deep questions focused on learning about candidates’ skills, thought process, and problem-solving abilities rather than their education or superfluous details
- Examples of past situations in which their questions elicited unexpected answers from a candidate
Why this matters:
Hiring candidates based on personal opinions of them is a poor recipe for recruiting. This kind of approach can undermine elements like diversity, innovation, and long-term growth in your organization. The people in your recruiting team should be highly aware of the role that their personal biases play in their decisions and of steps they can take to eliminate or minimize those influences.
What to listen for:
- Top candidates will provide detailed information on tools and techniques that have helped them reduce hiring biases in the past
- A clear understanding of the importance of their role in contributing to your organization’s DEI goals
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