What some recruiters are getting wrong during interviews

What are some of the common mistakes that hiring managers make when it comes to recruitment?

This is something that author and human resources expert Anna Papalia will be able to explain. Papaplia, who has advised more than 10,000 students, entrepreneurs, senior executives, hiring managers, and job seekers in all industries on the best techniques for interviews for both sides of the parties, shared with the Philadelphia Inquirer some of her techniques and beliefs behind her strategies for hiring, including what recruiters should look out for during the interview process.

One of the common mistakes that employers make, for example, includes how recruiters should treat the interview process. The adage, Papalia said, about “kissing a bunch of frogs” and finding a great candidate eventually, or treating the interview process as a conversation is one of the “worst things that you could do.”  “An interview is a test and should be conducted like one. For hiring managers, this can be challenging, especially if you’re highly extroverted and you like to talk to people to make a connection,” she said. What recruiters should do is create structured questions that are derived from the job descriptions, and let candidates be the ones to do the talking.  

READ MORE: Promotions have slowed. Why HR needs to pay attention

Another common mistake recruiters make is to seek a candidate who is a cultural fit in the organisation. “Unfortunately, when hiring managers say, ‘we’re looking for a culture fit” it actually means that they’re making a biased hire,” said Papalia. “You don’t have to look for someone who fits into your culture.” When teams are in a homogeneous group, they are more likely to be less creative. “Diversity enhances innovative teams,” she said.