Interviewing without a strategy is like starting off on a trip without a map. If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there? Decide how you are going to interview, and who will be conducting the interviews before you make that first candidate call.

Prepare Your Interviewers

Poorly prepared interviewers are a great way to turn off top talent. That first impression is something that you can’t get a do-over on. If your interviewers don’t understand the position, don’t know what to ask (and what not to ask) and familiarize themselves with the candidate’s resume, the sales and marketing professionals you hope to attract will believe that your company is disorganized, unprofessional and just not someplace where they want to build a career.

Find a Balance

Before you walk into the interview, think about what you need to tell the interviewee and how much you want to hear from them. Plan a mix of straightforward, open-ended and follow-up questions to make your interview a two way conversation and learn as much as possible about them and they about you.

Sell Your Culture

The key to retention is hiring people who work well within your corporate environment. If you let them know –honestly – what it’s like to work for your company, the right people will often self select. If you paint a realistic picture, candidates can picture themselves working for you – or not. This crucial step can ensure that you hire people who fit within your organization.

Follow Up After Interviews

Whether you decide to hire a candidate or not, it’s professional and polite to follow up with them. Sure you’re busy, but who isn’t? How long does it take to dash off an email that says “Thanks for your time, but we’ve decided to go with another candidate?” And if you are seriously considering a candidate, it’s critical to keep them in the loop during every step of the process to avoid losing them to a competitor.

Work With a Partner

Working with an executive recruiter can be extremely advantageous as they can do much of the initial recruiting work for you. Screening resumes, conducting preliminary interviews and eliminating unsuitable candidates. Why interview thirty candidates for a position, when you can interview just the final three and get better results? Contact the experts at SMR Group Ltd and build a better interviewing strategy with their recruiting specialists. As recruiting specialists in the biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries, we have the experience to help you craft and execute an effective interviewing strategy.