Job interview techniques for giving candidates the opportunity to shine
A well-prepared candidate deserves a well-structured interview. Here is why hiring managers in private practice need to think as carefully about their interview technique as candidates think about their answers.
A candidate who had no chance to shine
I recently placed a candidate who prepared brilliantly for an interview. She had thought through the likely questions, considered the scenarios she might be asked about and worked out exactly what she wanted to get across about her experience and the value she would bring to the role.
She came away from the interview having genuinely enjoyed meeting the team. But she also came away a little deflated. The conversation had flowed but it had not given her the chance to answer the questions she had prepared for, because those questions were never really asked. In addition, she had no opportunity to talk through how she handles particular situations or to demonstrate the skills and experience that had got her in front of the panel in the first place.
From a hiring manager’s perspective, that is a missed opportunity too. Ultimately, she was a strong candidate and the firm learned very little about her that they could not already see on her CV.
Why interview structure matters more than ever
Most candidates at the moment are interviewing with more than one firm. That is simply the reality of the current market for good fee earners across most areas of private practice.
A job interview should absolutely be a two way conversation. Candidates want to get a feel for the team, the culture and the way the firm operates and that only comes through natural conversation. However, a good, natural conversation and a structured interview are not mutually exclusive. If a candidate leaves your interview without having had the chance to show you what they can do, you are not just risking a poor read on their suitability for the role. You are risking losing them altogether, to a firm that gave them that opportunity.
Questions worth building in and why
A few thoughts on the kinds of questions that get you the information you actually need, while still leaving room for a genuine conversation.
Ask about a specific matter or client situation.
Rather than a general “talk me through your experience,” ask about a specific type of matter or client situation similar to the work in your team. The detail in how someone answers, what they did, why they made the decisions they made, tells you far more than a general summary ever will.
Ask how they handle pressure and difficult people.
Ask how they have handled a difficult client, a demanding deadline or a disagreement with a colleague. Technical ability matters but how someone behaves under pressure tells you a huge amount about how they will fit into your team day to day.
Ask what is driving their decision to look now.
This tells you whether the role you are offering actually matches what the candidate needs from their next move, rather than simply whether they are likely to accept an offer if you make one. Furthermore, it gives you an early read on retention.
Ask what good client service looks like to them.
In private practice, this question often separates good fee earners from great ones. The answer tells you a great deal about someone’s professionalism, commercial awareness and approach to relationships.Whether they are commercial, corporate, employment, family, real estate, crime or clinical negligence.
Give them space to ask you questions and listen closely.
The quality of a candidate’s questions tells you how seriously they have thought about the job role, the team and the firm. Do not treat this as a formality at the end of the meeting. It is one of the most useful parts of the conversation.
Culture and personality fit still matter
None of this is to say that culture and personality fit are not important, they are. However, you can only judge fit properly once you have also given the candidate a fair, structured chance to demonstrate the experience and skills that got them in front of you. A relaxed, enjoyable conversation that never tests any of that leaves you assessing personality alone and personality alone is not enough to make a good hire.
The bottom line
A good interview should leave both sides with what they need to make the right decision. If a strong candidate leaves your interview feeling like they never got the chance to show you what they can do, that is a gap worth closing and one that could be costing firms good hires in a competitive market.
Written by Nikki Phillips, Legal Recruitment Specialist covering Cumbria, Lancashire, Manchester City Centre and Merseyside.
About the Eventus Recruitment Group
The Eventus Recruitment Group are award-winning recruitment specialists in the legal, finance and financial services sectors. With dedicated Recruitment Consultants based across in England, we offer tailored support at each stage of the recruitment process. Always, we act as advocates for your employer brand to ensure we source the right people who will fit in your firm for the long term.