When job candidates walk in for interviews, they feel like the spotlight is on them and like everyone is assessing them. However, there are two sides to that: the candidate is assessing at the same time. What is the candidate’s experience during the interview process?

First Impressions

What is the candidate’s first impression? It’s a cliché, but it’s true that there’s only one opportunity to make a first impression. If the person on the front desk and the employee who comes to meet you make you feel welcome…then that suggests it will be a pleasant place to work. On the flip side, a company that doesn’t make the effort to treat its visitors well might have a similar attitude toward its employees.

However, a first impression may not begin at the interview. An employee who does research on the company ahead of time already has a first impression. Despite a company’s best efforts to promote itself, the first impression may not be positive. Negative publicity, poor reviews, or viral Facebook posts can have a big impact, and they may raise red flags with the candidate.

The Interview

What happens during the interview? Is the interviewer just trying to fill the position, or is it important to find someone who will be a good fit for the job as well as in the organization? Candidates get a sense of this: If the interviewer is asking you questions to better understand your experience, personality, and work style, that’s a good sign that the company knows who would be a good cultural fit in the workplace and within the team.

Interviewers ask questions, and candidates are always encouraged to go into an interview with questions, but what if the candidate is never given a chance to ask any of them? That can be another red flag for a job seeker: what if the interviewer concludes the interview without allowing you to ask questions? That may mean the employer is not the right one for you.

Sense of Fit

Many candidates ask questions to help them determine how well they would fit into the work environment. Just as interviewers watch for certain things, candidates watch for them, too, and actions can speak louder than words. Though the answer may not be subjective, how managers describe themselves can reveal quite a bit about how humble or arrogant they are – and how easy or difficult they may be to work with.

Just as candidates begin to form first impressions before the interview, they may begin to get a sense of fit before ever walking in the door, too. Social media can be an important part of that. Healthcare candidates want to know if they’ll fit in with an organization before applying, and they’ll look to an organization’s career site and social media pages for clues. If they can’t find the answers they’re searching for, or if what they find doesn’t seem authentic, they may move on.

Seeking Candidates?

At 365 Healthcare Staffing Services, we specialize in the recruitment and placement of healthcare professionals in per diem, travel, and permanent assignments in healthcare facilities across the country. If you’re seeking candidates, give us a call at 310.436.3650. We would love to work with you!