Some interview panels herd candidates
into the interview room like a lamb being
led to the slaughterhouse, and set out to
find fault with them. Panels have also been
known to verbally attack candidates and
slay them to the ground. This paralyses
candidates who forget that an interview
is a discussion, and that they too have
something valuable to offer.
An organization that is customer centric
and that purposes to treat customers fairly,
should at every opportunity endeavor to
do so, at every single touch point.
Ensuring customer comfort communicates
nonverbal
messages
to
interview
candidates. If ensuring customer comfort
is high on the agenda of organizations
gunning to offer great customer
experiences, then this should be evident in
their management of interviews.
How customers feel is largely a factor of
their level of comfort when interacting
with the brand. Customers make decisions
based on what feels ‘right’ and matters
that directly impact their personal,
physical and psychological comfort are of
great importance. The same focus needs
to be applied for interview candidates
as potential internal and/or external
customers.
The notion that interviewees are desperate
people who are ready to do anything to
get the job, and as such can be subjected
to extreme conditions, needs to be
dispelled. Some interviewers opt to place
the candidate at the extreme end of the
interview room, with poor lighting,
limited visibility and at a disadvantage,
to ‘test’ if they will hold up. Being under
test conditions is not a regular workplace
phenomenon and occurs more as an
exception than the norm. It would be
of much more importance to observe
candidates in as near normal conditions as
possible to simulate what the day-to-day
would yield.
The same hospitality offered to a customer
who walks into an office reception to make
an enquiry about purchasing a product or
consuming a service, where every effort is
made to have the customer ‘feel at home’
should be offered to those coming to seek
employment. Comfortable sitting area,
provision of reading material, an offer
of water or other beverage available, and
consistent communication on the process
including any unexpected delays should
be the order of the day.
Candidates who have suffered in the pro-
cess of being shortlisted, interviewed
and recruited, are highly likely to feel
resentful even after clinching the job
opportunity. When human beings are
subjected to conditions that put them
under unnecessary stress, they are not
likely to forget it soon. The feeling of
comfort brings out ones’ best perfor-
mance and interview panels should be
interested in taking a look at that.
Candidates who have suffered in the
process of being shortlisted, interviewed
and recruited, are highly likely to feel
resentful even after clinching the job
opportunity. When human beings
are subjected to conditions that put
them under unnecessary stress, they
are not likely to forget it soon. The
feeling of comfort brings out ones’ best
performance and interview panels should
be interested in taking a look at that.
Communicating with customers post
the interview to advise if they have been
successful or otherwise is the mark of
organizations that are empathic, and put
themselves in their potential customers’
shoes. Regret letters need to be designed
in a manner that provides the much
needed communication on the outcome
of the interview, whilst not crushing the
candidate’s feelings.
Organizations also need to be open to
candidates seeking specific feedback on
their performance during an interview,
and to provide candid communication
on what went well and the areas for
improvement. A carefully worded regret
that is customer centric will communicate
to the recipient in a manner that does
not leave them feeling unworthy and
unemployable. Feedback needs to be
provided in an encouraging manner.
Candidates have been known to not
make the cut for a job but end up being
brand ambassadors for an organization
based on how well they were handled
during an interview.
In the same way that a workplace that
values its employees can be identified
from the way customers are handled
from inception, so are toxic workplaces
evident right from the interview process.
Internal customers need to be wary of
organizations that do not communicate
effectively before, during and after the
interview process. Customer experience
excellence starts from the inside, and the
internal customer dynamics affect the
external customer experience.
As candidates line up to be interviewed to
join the organization, the onus is on them
to evaluate their experience right from the
get-go to determine the decision they will
ultimately make to accept the job offer
if they are successful, or if to reconsider
entering a potential toxic relationship
whose turbulent nature has been observed
from the first date.
Carolyne Gathuru is the founder and
director of strategy at LifeSkills
Consulting. She has several years
of experience in customer experience
strategy development and training.
You can commune with her on
this or related issues via mail at:
[email protected].