If you’re a business that is fortunate enough to be interviewing candidates again, let’s not forget what we’ve all been through the last 3 months.

For some people jumping on a Zoom call will be the closest thing to normality they have had in awhile. Don’t just jump into questions straight away. You wouldn’t do this in person, so ask some non-work work-related ice breakers to make them feel at ease.

If the person isn’t successful after an interview, at least provide the candidate or recruiter a couple of lines that they can use to help them in their next interview. Keep in mind the effort that a candidate puts into the lead up. The time spent to understand the company and the role in between family or work commitments. Maybe they had to arrange child care just to make the interview. There are factors that stay behind the scenes and you’ll never see. And it makes your response all the more important. Candidates with bad interview experiences can come at big cost for your brand.

Here are 4 easy ways to incorporate candidate feedback to your interview process:

• • Allow 5 minutes after each interview to make notes on the candidate.  
  • Give the feedback or updates quickly, either directly or via Creative Natives. Put yourself in the candidates shoes and don’t leave anyone hanging.
  • Provide clear reasons explaining to candidates why they weren’t the right fit, and what they could do to improve. Did they lack examples or details to back their answers? Did they address the brief in a presentation? These observations could help them in their next interview.
  • Include positive feedback, after all it can’t be all bad if they made it to the interview stage!

It’s that easy. The candidate may not get the ‘yes’ they hoped for, but they can still walk away feeling grateful for the experience and loaded with actionable feedback that will prepare them for whatever is next.

This Pandemic has bought the very best out of some people. Let’s not go back to old habits. Be kind and do the right thing by people. You never know, you could be on the other side of the laptop during the next crisis.