Do’s and don’ts of candidate calls: Why they matter
Job seekers often have lots of choices, especially if they’re currently employed. Making a good first impression when you call candidates can help create a positive candidate experience. That’s important because it sets the tone for the hiring process and carries over to the employee experience if the person gets hired. The following do’s and don’ts of candidate calls can help you make a good impression and increase the chances of landing an eager candidate who fits your needs.
Do know what you need
You know what position you’re hiring for and have a general idea of the requirements. But how well do you know what you need? Before you start screening or calling candidates, drill down your expectations so it’s easy to spot someone who matches.
Start with the job description. Before you post your vacancy, review the job description for accuracy. Include a concise title, specific duties and responsibilities, qualifications, skills, salary range and benefits. Then, use those details to help screen applicants and develop interview questions.
Don’t forget to screen candidates well
If you’re in a time crunch or are just excited to hire an employee, you might want to jump into candidate calls quickly. You’ll save time and have better results from your calls if you screen applicants thoroughly first. This step can help to ensure you’re reaching out to the right candidates.
Indeed offers several screening tools to help you narrow your list. You can specify which qualifications are most important to you and what would be a deal breaker. Indeed Assessments let you choose from hundreds of skills tests to evaluate candidates.
Do use technology
Keeping track of all the steps in the recruitment process is much easier when you use technology. With so many software and online platform options available, you can find one that fits your needs. Applicant tracking software lets you keep track of applicant information and add notes about things like calling applicants for interviews.
If you use Indeed, you can access a robust selection of recruiting tools in the Employer Dashboard. This includes updating the status of each applicant and contacting them to schedule phone or virtual interviews through the platform. Having this central spot where you post your jobs and manage your applicants can streamline your process, avoid confusion and allow for easy collaboration among the hiring team.
Don’t go in unprepared
Before you start scheduling calls with candidates, have everything organized and prepared on your end. This makes it faster to schedule the interviews. You can also give all the relevant information to the candidates and answer their questions when you have your first conversation.
You should know what types of interviews you’re going to conduct and how many rounds you’ll do. For instance, you might hold an initial phone screening interview to narrow down your short list, followed by a round of one-on-one or panel interviews. Some companies do more rounds of interviews based on their processes and the needs of the position.
Determine the available interview times and options for interviewing. For instance, if you’re scheduling one-on-one interviews, will you require candidates to come to the office or are you offering virtual interviews? Communicate with the hiring team to find times that work well for their schedules. This lets you give candidates options you know will work for the hiring manager so you don’t have to go back and forth or reschedule interviews.
Do personalize the call
It’s tempting to call all candidates with a scripted message to get through the process faster. However, you can create a positive first impression by researching each candidate quickly before making a call. Even a quick glance at their resume means you’ll get their name right, which is always a good way to start the call. You’ll also have a few other key points you can discuss, such as their previous experience or accomplishments.
When you make the call or send an email, mention a few things that impressed you about their application. Tell them their specific experience or background would benefit your company for a particular role. This shows you took the time to learn more about them and you’re interested, which can spark more engagement in the candidate.
Don’t do all the talking
You have a lot of information to share with the candidate. You might want to tell them a little about the company or the position. If you’re scheduling an interview, you’ll need to tell them about the process and give them the options.
But don’t do all the talking. Give the candidate a chance to ask questions, respond to your comments and thank you for the opportunity. This shows them you value their contributions and encourage two-way communication.
Do sell them on the organization
When you make initial contact with job candidates, you want to get them excited about the opportunity. They might be applying to other positions, and they could receive calls from multiple companies for interviews. Finding ways to make your company stand out could encourage them to continue with the interview process and, ultimately, accept your job offer.
As part of the first conversation with a candidate, give them a highlight reel of what your company has to offer. You might talk about the culture or the special perks. Perhaps you have an exciting new project or expansion coming up soon.
The research you already did to personalize the call can come in handy here. For instance, if you know an IT candidate helped launch a new tech feature for their previous employer, you might mention the latest tech product you’re getting ready to implement.
Don’t oversell the company
It’s also important to be realistic about the image you project. You don’t want to make things seem better than they are to lure candidates to your company. They’ll likely find out quickly that you exaggerated, and that could leave them feeling betrayed. It’s better to be honest about the company so they know what to expect. You might even mention some of your organization’s pain points and how you’re trying to overcome them. This shows the candidate you’re realistic about what you have to offer and you’re transparent with your team.
Do keep them in mind for other positions
Sometimes, you might call a candidate for a specific position and realize they aren’t a good match. This could happen when you call to schedule an interview or during the phone screening process. Just because they won’t work for this position doesn’t mean they’re a no for the company as a whole. Consider whether their skills or personality would be a good fit for another team or opportunity. If a candidate has a solid background, keep their application on file for future vacancies.
Don’t ghost candidates
When you’re recruiting and hiring candidates, you have a lot going on. It’s tempting to simply not call back or communicate with candidates who aren’t chosen to move to the next step. However, it creates a better impression with applicants if you inform them about what’s happening and where they stand. For instance, if your initial call is a screening and you decide not to proceed with the candidate, let them know in a quick, direct email or phone call.
When you keep these do’s and don’ts of candidate calls in mind, you can streamline your processes and make a better impression on applicants. It can improve your overall reputation as an employer and help everyone feel better about the process.
