How to Prep a Candidate for the Onsite Interview

Jonathan Kidder

5 years ago

The elite Recruiters and Sourcers always prep their candidates for the onsite interview. In order for the candidate to have a successful experience they need to come prepared for what to expect and how to handle the process from straight to finish. We’ve all hand candidates who have been blind sided and have failed the onsite rounds miserably. The best way to combat those failures is to prep the candidate for ultimate success.

1. Walk them through the team and project

The candidate needs to understand what the team is working on. Walk them through what the team is looking for by filling this job opening. Help them understand their value and how it will impact the business. I like to highlight the main requirements of the role and help them understand how they need to prepare in those areas.

2. Highlight any concerns that you have

Maybe the candidate complained about their current team? Maybe they said something that wasn’t that professional? Well, make sure to give the candidates hints on any red flags that you hear or witness. Of course if there are major concerns then I wouldn’t bring that candidate onsite.

3. Strengthen their weaknesses

Maybe the candidate talked too fast or didn’t highlight their skills well during your calls. Every recruiter has that gut feeling when it comes to some red flags. Always, go with your gut and give them the best advice that you can offer. Make sure to coach them on what they need to do better.

4. Give them soft ball questions

Always give the candidate an opportunity to answer some soft ball questions. This will help you see and hear how well this might do during the onsite stages. Below are some examples:

Tell me about a time when you saw a peer struggling and decided to step in and help.
Tell me about a time when you didn’t know what to do next or how to solve a problem.
Tell me about a time when you not only met a goal but considerably exceeded expectations.

Here’s some more screening questions to ask applicants (here).

5. Prepare them for the onsite interview

Help them understand who they will be meeting with during the onsite. You can talk about the interview team and hiring managers goals. Overall, get them to feel comfortable around the process and what to expect. Also, highlight the office environment and culture. Whether they need to wear professional attire or bring copies of their resume.

6. Encourage them to prepare on their own time

You may need to “scare” them a little into preparing for the onsite. Have them study prep materials or watch interviewing videos on YouTube. It will be good to share whatever examples that you have.

7. Send them prep materials over email

I have (2-3) email prep materials that I share with the candidate. How they can prepare for a tech interview round. I send them coding assessment courses, books to review, and also YouTube that they can watch.

8. Set realistic expectations on final steps

Walk them through the whole process from start to finish. Set a realistic deadline on when the candidate will hear back on the final steps. The more they can understand your processes the better “candidate experience” that they will have in the end. Our team sends out a candidate survey after they finish the onsite interview. This will really help understand which areas your team will need to improve on in the long term.

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