Bradley-Morris Client Best Practices
Send the A-Team
Candidates will most often judge a company and an opportunity based on the quality of the interviewer. There are two key elements at play here:
- Personality of the interviewer:
Successful clients have an interviewer at the conference that the candidates like and with which they can identify. They see this person as a reflection of the company and choose to go forward with them largely based on a strong positive impression. The best interviewers are pleasant and dynamic. They like their job, their company and its culture, and this attitude comes through to candidates when they speak with them.
- Responsibility level of the interviewer:
The companies which have the greatest success send the highest-ranking representative of the company that is available. The success rate for closing candidates is often directly proportional to the level of decision-maker that is representing the company.
It is also recommended to pair a decision-maker title with an HR professional to help provide coverage for any question a candidate might ask. In addition, a company may choose to send an “operations” person to the Hiring Conference if there is any in-depth technical knowledge that should be vetted.
A company which only sends a “screener” to the conference has the least chance of successfully closing candidates. A candidate who interviews with a screener is not likely to feel the same level of interest as they do when they interview with a company who sends a decision-maker. As a result, the company who sends a screener may miss out on great candidates who are already interested in other companies.
Key survey quote:
“Here is a perfect example of why the person you send can make a huge difference. My client, Company B, had been bringing an interviewer in who is OK, but not great. Hence, she did not have a great success rate. When the company had needs in a new location, a different interviewer came in. She was enthusiastic, intelligent, and most importantly, acted fast! It made a big difference: Company B hired two officers from that conference. I know that is only one part of the equation, but it's a big part.”