Written by Mairead Simons

During the interview process, it's really important for employers to remember that interviewing is a 2-way street. It’s a chance for candidates to engage with the company they could potentially work for and an opportunity for employers to sell their companies to potential employees. Therefore, it’s so important that employers give interviewees the opportunity to ask questions as well as portray their company in a positive light throughout the process, as candidates are also discovering if this is somewhere they want to commit to working on a long-term basis.

‘Closing’ candidates is key throughout the interview process – making sure they are engaged throughout the stages so you know they would accept the role if offered. In complete honesty, there isn’t much point in going through a 3-stage interview process with a candidate if you don’t know if they would even accept the job if offered, so it’s important to showcase the role and company on offer as best as possible. It’s a great idea for interviewers to get a feel for how candidates might react to an offer from the first stage and a great way to do this is to make sure you are checking in with candidates in between and looking for indicators that they are happy to proceed.

Showing your company culture, sharing successes, and painting the picture of what it's really like to be employed by your organisation can really help candidates come to a decision. In a candidate-driven market where there are more jobs than people, it’s even more important that candidates are kept engaged so that their role stands out above the others. Showing off your organisation should be at the top of the agenda during any interview and although you are looking for that perfect candidate, they are also looking for their perfect company and role. A great tip is to be as transparent as possible and to give as much real insight as you can.