Sometimes a candidate reads a job description and gets really excited. Then they apply and are thrilled when they get the interview. They spend an hour or more talking with you about their career and yet they leave dejected.
In their mind they can’t believe how poorly it went. There just wasn’t any chemistry between the interviewer and the interviewee.
Yes, chemistry.
Not in a dating sense. But every question and answer failed to jive. There was no connection, no gelling, and even if this lack of chemistry was imagined by the interviewee, when the interviewer comes back and makes a job offer, the candidate rarely wants to work there.
Don’t let this happen to you.
How to Conduct an IP and Innovation Management Interview that Turns Candidates into Employees
While you may not want every candidate who interviews with you to want to work for you, you won’t know who you do and who you don’t until you spend some time with them. And a bad first impression is hard to reverse on either end. Here are a few tips on conducting interviews that will always leave a favorable impression:
Take Your Time
This is not a sprint. Running through an interview will make people feel like you’ve already chosen. They’ve taken the time to see you, give them the respect of your attention. This does not mean that if they are absolutely not a good fit that you have to give them a full hour. Whatever amount of time you give them, be present and respectful.
Read/Scan the CV or Resume
This is important. Glance down at the resume before the person enters the room so the details are fresh with you. When you stack interview after interview, you can begin to confuse the details of candidates’ careers. If you read the document in front of them, it gives the impression this is the first time you’re reading it. This makes them feel unimportant.
Get Excited
Talk about what you love about the job, the people, or the university. Brag about the opportunities and why this position is special. Remember they are interviewing you just as much as you are interviewing them.
IP and innovation management is a competitive field. Many top universities are competing for the same skilled people. Don’t sabotage your ability to attract top talent by a lack of preparation or a busy schedule.
How do you make candidates feel like this is the only job they want?
