What is best practice for interviewing candidates?

Ensuring you have done all you can to manage a candidate through the interview process will reduce the number of candidates who "ghost" you. Here is a quick checklist...

1. Remember, the candidate is also interviewing you.
   
   
2. When you confirm the interview by email be clear of the expectations from the outset:
   1. Time, location, who will be interviewing, their job title, and how long it will last.
   2. Do they need to do anything to prepare (link to website)
   3. What will they be expected to do in the interview (perform in-tray exercise, presentation, etc)
   4. Is there onsite parking (if not, where do they park or how do they get to you)
   5. Include the Job Description
3. Send a reconfirmation email 24 hours before the interview.  Do they have everything they need to find you?
   
   
4. On the day demonstrate that you are expecting them:
   1. Where possible greet them by name
   2. Is there a clean space for them to wait when they arrive 10 minutes early?
   3. Offer them a drink
   4. Let them know how long they will be waiting and enquire if they need anything in the meantime
5. Invite them into the interview space:
   1. Thank them for their time
   2. Introduce yourself and explain a little about your role in the company
   3. Start asking some questions about them within the first 10 minutes.  Avoid war and peace about your company, this is the time to get to know your candidates
   4. Having some interview questions that are pre-prepared and consistent across the business will help ensure your recruitment process is efficient and non-discriminatory
6. At the end of the interview:
   1. Open the floor to any questions
   2. Thank them again for their time
   3. Let them know when and how they will hear back from you.  Be realistic.  Don't set a deadline you can not achieve
      
      
   
   This may seam like going back to basics, but for many busy people, we find that many of these simple actions are often overlooked.