Preparing Candidates for Interviews

Preparation is not a science, but an art. True artists don’t paint by numbers. They use the tools of their trade effectively when recognizing needs and opportunities. Then they apply their own individuality and style.

You, too, must develop the techniques that work for you to help your candidate perform well. The task of candidate preparation is to help your candidates position themselves to get and accept your client’s job offer. This is a mental and physical process.

The biggest mistake you could make would be to assume that your candidate knows the very basic facts and concepts about interviewing techniques, or even knows more about himself than he does. It is true, he may be an expert in his chosen field, but he is not an expert in interview communications. He needs your help whether he knows it or not. You must be diplomatic; almost unbelievable things can go wrong.

You must make sure there are no surprises for either party during the interview. Your candidate must be prepared to deal with what he is about to face. This takes time, intuition and judgment. This prep session should take place within two to four hours prior to the interview.

The preparation phase is pretty easy if you have conducted an excellent interview and taken a thorough Search Assignment. Use your feature-benefit-proof techniques to show where the expectations will be met or not met on the hard facts about the company. Use the candidate’s own words when discussing the opportunity. Touch all the hot buttons.

You must cover the who, what, when, where, and why of the situation. Help your candidate visualize everything that will happen and why, even if it is a phone interview you are scheduling. Incorrect or incomplete addresses, directions or hiring authority names are an embarrassment and get the interview started on the wrong foot.

As with the employer, make sure you convey to the candidate the objective of the first interview:

If the candidate does this, you now have both the employer and the candidate selling each other, dramatically increasing your odds of a favorable outcome.

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