JIM KENNEDY • JUNE 2019

Building Relationships with Candidates

More and more organizations are building sustainable relationships with target customers. In this talent-scarce market, we think they should also build the same kind of relationships with candidates. After all, candidates may consider working for a company more than once in the course of their careers, but only if they have an ongoing, positive association with that company.

We believe our Effective Interviewing!® seminar is not only a way to assess candidates, but to also establish key relationships with them. This is the result of the uniquely positive nature of interviews conducted with our techniques. Here is what our method of interviewing offers:

• Candidates who are treated with respect. Our questions, especially Self-appraisal Questions, reflect a genuine interest in candidates and allow them to engage in real conversations with interviewers, rather than in a rote question-and-answer session or a rehashing of their resumes. Furthermore, asking people to elaborate on their answers helps them feel listened to and understood, something that is particularly important for diverse candidates.


• Interviews that are personalized, not patterned. Because interviewers ask a wide range of questions on many topics, interviews are never predictable. That means candidates have a different and challenging experience with each person they see. It also means they come away thinking, "I will be working with sharp people at this company."


• Fair and objective methods that don't ignore non-authentic responses. Whenever there is a questionable response, interviewers diplomatically drill down for details. This helps weed out candidates who may not be credible or trustworthy.


• A way to customize the company sales pitch. Since interviewers already know a candidate's motivation, they can tailor the way they sell the company to each individual. This signals a special interest in each candidate's welfare.

Overall, our techniques should lead to a positive and highly professional interview experience. Even if a candidate doesn't accept your offer, you've laid the foundation for a beneficial, long-term relationship. This person may become a future candidate or even a customer.