5 Ways to Prevent Interview Scheduling Snags
Simply Hired Staff
There’s no nice way to put this: you’re not superhuman. Don’t get us wrong. You’re probably an awesome recruiter or in house HR professional with a ton of experience and skills under your belt. You’ve got the knowledge it takes to hunt down the best talent and weed out improbably candidates to save everyone time and to help make the hiring process smooth and efficient. But in today’s hectic and time crunched day and age, recruiting professionals are often up against the clock and a myriad of ever filling schedules when it comes to finding the right time to bring in candidates for an interview. All is not hopeless however. If you’ve been feeling the crunch lately, we’ve put together this useful list of 5 ways to prevent interview scheduling snags.
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Hiring manager traveling? Ask for a backup.
Travel today is easier than ever before. Via plane, train or automobile, professionals are often on the go given the ease of working remotely and the need for more connected workplaces. Whether for personal or business, travel schedules can be a major roadblock to a smooth interview scheduling process. If you’re aware the hiring manager for the position will be away or unavailable, ask them to designate a backup to take their place. This is especially viable in early round interviews as the candidate can always meet with the hiring manager later in the process if the designee feels it’s a good fit.
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In-person interview not possible? Offer alternative interview methods.
In-person interviews are always helpful for getting the best insight into a candidate’s experience and abilities. If an in person interview isn’t possible because of timing or geographical concerns, however, technology is here to help out. Web based meeting host applications and even video conferencing features are readily available. Set up a video interview via the internet and keep the hiring process rolling, despite the parties not being in the same room.
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Interviewer back out at the last minute? Pull from your all-star list.
Despite your best laid plans there are always going to be last minute snagged in even the smoothest of interview schedules. If you’re the internal HR contact and an interviewer is forced to pull out at the last minute help yourself by having a list of quality backup options. IDentify three to four well-rounded individuals within the company that may be willing to step into the interviewer’s time slot. The company will still benefit from invaluable experience while eliminating gaps and maximizing everyone’s use of time.
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Going on vacation? Collaborate with hiring managers to keep top candidates engaged.
We appreciate that you’re dedicated to your recruiting job but even the best and brightest can’t keep working 24/7. If you’re in the middle of guiding the recruiting process for a new position but have personal plans, keep in touch with the hiring manager and delegate some of the duties directly to them. Alternatively, items such as questionnaires can be great gap fillers to keep candidate’s engaged in the interview process while learning more about their skillset. Whatever you day, keep the lines of communication open to avoid losing out on quality interviewees.
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Amazing candidate not available soon? Be patient.
Sure, we all have grand plans for immediately and efficiently staffing each open position with the best talent possible. Sometimes, however, that talent may be otherwise engaged or their schedule may be less than flexible. Remember that as a recruiter your focus should be on quality over quantity. Have patience with top shelf candidates and consider alternative interviewing methods discussed above in order to get them in the door and in front of the decision makers for the position.
If you’re a recruiter and have additional tips and tricks for dealing with interview scheduling snags we’d love to hear your expert advice in the comments.
Read Related Articles:
- Self-Audit For A Candidate-Friendly Job Application Process
- How to Avoid the Pitfalls of a Cumbersome Hiring Process
- Balancing Act: Ethical Interviewing That Works
Article Updated from the Original on April 30, 2018
