Whether you’re giving the interview or you’re the one being interviewed, the traditional ways have been under some pressure lately. The ones interviewing argue that it’s hard to evaluate a candidate in such a short amount of time, and gauge their soft skills. Because of this, HR managers have hired people who rocked the interview, but turns out they weren’t fit for the position. On the flip side, imagine you’re a terrible at interviews, and you’re too nervous to really be able to communicate all the great things you’ve done.
In response to these concerns, many companies have started to adopt new interview processes in order to find “the one” candidate fit for the position. Some companies have taken to extreme measures, however, today we’re going to look into a few methods that could work for an SME.
What’s Replacing the Traditional Interview
Auditions
The traditional behavioral questions are a great way to not only hear about a candidate’s past experiences, but to hear how they would react in certain scenarios. But we can all say one thing but when we are actually put into that situation, maybe we do something completely different. In order to get a honest understanding of how candidates would react, why not create a mock scenario? In these “auditions” candidates are given the opportunity to perform tasks close to what their jobs may actually entail. You’re not trying to ambush them, or try to get them to flail. You’re trying to see how they can respond in different situations and get a deeper insight into their personality. Auditions can be a great way for both parties. The employer can see how the candidate would perform, more or less, on the job and the candidate gets to see how things would be in the office if they were offered a position. Some employers like to put candidates into groups to see how their team working abilities are and how well they can communicate with people.
VR
With technology so prevalent in so many aspects of our lives, why are they not a part of the interview process? Wish you could see a candidate in a specific situation but you can’t allocate the time, money, or resources to set it up? Well we’ve got some good news. Some companies like Lloyds Banking Group have been using VR (virtual reality) as a way to see how their candidates perform in a bank. It’s definitely a new way to interview, but it gives candidates the chance to show their true colors and out shine other candidates that they otherwise would not have been able to if it was a traditional 30 minute interview in a conference room.
Outside of the Office
Interviews done outside of the office, in a coffee shop, or maybe even at a restaurant can be a more relaxed atmosphere where employers are given more time to evaluate the employee’s soft skills and personality. Being out of the office, employers are able to see how the candidate interacts with the outside world. How do they treat service staff? Are they still remaining professional, or have they let their guard down? There have been cases where employers have asked the waiter to bring out the wrong food for the candidate to see how they react to the mishap. Employers don’t have to go above and beyond to try and test the candidates, rather just try to get to know them on a personal level and gauge their personality and how well they would fit with the company culture.
Is it Time to Change your Interview Process?
Someone can rehearse an interview and ultimately seem like the great candidate you’ve been looking for, but with these new tactics of interviewing, gaming the system is no longer a possibility. These new ways of interviewing can help HR managers truly gauge the candidate’s abilities and personality. Now that you know about the new tools other companies are using, is it time to change your interviewing process for your SME?
