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Best Practice for Evaluating Candidates

When recruiting candidates for your organisation, it is essential to have a Best Practice Framework in place to guide you through the process of effectively evaluating candidates. By managing this process successfully, you better your chances of finding the “Brightest and the Best” candidate to suit your business’ needs. This will increase your staff retention rate, decrease staff turnover and allow you time to concentrate on other areas of your business by knowing you have the right staff to fulfill their roles. 

Included in this article are tips for evaluating candidates effectively throughout the Interview process:

  • First Impressions Last!: Take note of the candidate from the moment they enter your business for an interview. Receptionists and administration staff are a good source of information if you are unable to view candidates immediately. Ask your staff how the candidate interacted with them and how they appeared if they were asked to wait. When you first meet the candidate, take note of how they present themselves. E.g. Are they dressed appropriately for interview, do they make eye contact when meeting you and was their handshake firm and welcoming. 
  • Are they Engaging?: The majority of candidates you interview will be nervous. Some people handle nerves better than others yet all candidates should still maintain good eye contact and listen attentively to questions being asked. 
  • Use Behavioural Interviewing Techniques: Behavioural interviewing questions are an excellent method for evaluating candidates’ skills and prior experience effectively. Behavioural interview questions are designed to find out specific, real-world examples of how the candidate has performed a certain task in the past. An example of a behavioural interview question is below:• When have you had to present to a group of people with little or no preparation? What obstacles did you face? How did you handle them? What was the end result?
  • Reference Check Thoroughly: It is vitally important you talk to the right person when completing reference checks. Ask for a supervisor or manager and make sure you call through the landline of the business rather than a mobile phone. 
  • Utilise JP Smith’s Psychological Assessment: Psychological testing has proven itself as a reliable and accurate predictor of how a candidate will perform in your business. It can help you succeed in finding the best person for your business and identifies strengths and weaknesses of candidates that may not have been evident throughout the interviewing process. 

By taking on board the above points and tips when recruiting staff, you can be sure you are effectively evaluating your candidates and ensuring they are the best fit for your organisation. If you would like to discuss your recruitment and staffing needs with JP Smith and find out more about how we can assist you in finding the “Brightest and the Best” staff, please call us on (07) 4659 7400.

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