Alright folks, this is something I do not think we covered but we need to discuss as it has far reaching ramifications for both the candidate and most importantly the employer. The interview length, and to be focused, I am speaking more to the really short interview than the longer interview. When a company interviews someone via phone and that interview takes less than 15 minutes, atypically the candidate will feel under the impression that the process has gone poorly. UNLESS, the company takes it upon themselves to indicate to the candidate that things were positive and that a follow up meeting is in the works. You might ask why I bring this up….TALENT ACQUISITION.
Recruiting is what we do here, assisting companies with the very core of their business need by bringing the most talented professionals to their doorstep for review in a personal and concise manner. People are the business, no way around it. Unless there is some unique business model that does not require people, talent is the only way to grow the business. The way a company presents themselves during the interview process is largely effective on whether candidates will be interested in their roles. For some reason, most companies forget that candidates are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing the candidates. As for many reasons a company might not pursue a candidate, there are even more reasons a candidate might not pursue a company. The moving parts within a company and the diverse personalities presented during the interview process make the issue even more relevant to the company than the potential employee.
Not to digress, but with the above being true, the interview time is something that is an indicator normally of interest for a company and a candidate. I recently had a company hold a series of interviews, none lasting more than 10 minutes. I had never dealt with the company before and noticed that feedback coming from the applicants was poor. It did not show well for the company, as it appeared they were wasting the candidates time and did not know what they needed. Though that was not the case, they were simply gleaning some basic information quickly - they made a short list and proceeded from there. It was the response of the candidates that got us thinking about the presentation and what that shows candidates about the company. We were able to overcome the objections as the interviews went forward, prepping the candidates to know it would be 15 minutes or less….that way the expectation was set for something short and sweet. Even with that, there was still some hesitance from the lead candidates on the process and the company.
Be aware that there are so many signs and circumstances within the recruiting process that effect the outcome. Acquiring the right people is in art, best done I believe with short concise bursts that make the best use of a short time period and benefit the most with quick action. Lack of decisions and dragging process are the death of talent acquisition, but seem to be ever present across the domestic landscape when hiring people is the task at hand.
