There’s no denying the importance of interview performance when considering any engineering candidate. Working as an engineer is stressful at times, and a relaxed manner when meeting with a hiring manager speaks to their potential capability when under pressure. The key word is “potential,” as you need to look at their skill set, professional experience, and references before any final decision is made.
Here are a few insights to help you prevent being fooled by an exemplary interview, ultimately leading to a poor hire.
Consider the Interviewer when Rating Candidate Performance
Depending on the size of your organization, you may have different people conducting interviews. Their biases and hiring style must be considered when rating each candidate’s performance. Consider having multiple personnel present during each interview to give you the best chance at an objective opinion.
Interviews handled by only one person can lead to “hiring blindness” influencing the final decision. This occurs when the interviewer sees the type of person they want to hire instead of the real truth. Using an interview team or simply being aware of the problem of hiring blindness ensures a well-considered choice ultimately gets made.
“Understanding hiring styles is a game-changer when it comes to identifying top talent. Over time I’ve realized that it’s simply practice and a structured approach that helps avoid mismatches, and the fact we do this all day long has helped,” said Sharon Strauss, vice president of client services at Vitamin T, a creative digital talent agency.
Finding the Right Engineer Takes a Measured Approach
Combining interview teams with a well-considered candidate rating system helps to improve the efficacy of your organization’s hiring process. Make sure your interview team features a mixture of hiring styles, so a more well-rounded view of each candidate is achieved. Also use the ratings to cover the contents of a candidate’s resume, including their skill set and professional experience, in addition to interview performance.
Finally, don’t forget to thoroughly check all references for anyone interviewed by your company. In many cases, a reference check helps break a tie between two equally qualified candidates. You may also find any discrepancies with information given on their resume or during the interview.
When you need any additional insights on building a great engineering team, talk to the knowledgeable staff at Venteon. As one of the top technical and engineering staffing agencies in the Midwest, we offer the great candidates able to help your organization succeed. Schedule some time with us at your earliest convenience.
