Being unable to get a position filled in a timely manner can be extremely frustrating. In many cases, an open position can cost a company quite a bit of money, not to mention it tends to overwork existing employees who are often called upon to cover the load.

You may even be getting numerous applicants, but either you can’t quite seem to close the deal or you haven’t found someone who really fits the bill. Perhaps you found one or two people you thought would make a great addition to your team, but then something fell through. For some reason, things didn’t work out. If this keeps happening over and over, you may want to take a look at what you could be doing to turn potential employees away.

Don’t Add Unnecessary Delays to Scheduled Interviews

When you find a job applicant you want to interview, set up a time to meet. Don’t delay. Don’t put it off until later. The job market is wide open for applicants. Yours is not the only position available. If you want to hire someone, you need to make a move and do so quickly. Schedule an interview.

Then, when the person arrives for the interview, make sure he or she is greeted right away and not left waiting. Some employers are under the impression making a job applicant or customer wait is a good idea as it shows the company is busy. In actual fact, it shows a company doesn’t care as much as it should about the people who make it what it is. Be on time. Let you candidates know you value them.

Make a Good Impression

Job seekers are constantly being told to make a good impression when they go out on job interviews. Dress well, speak clearly, have good eye contact and communication skills, etc. What employers don’t always realize is they must do the same. You, as a hiring manager or executive, need to put your best foot forward.

Dress professionally. Don’t keep your interviewee waiting. Do offer your interviewee something to drink like water, tea or coffee. Don’t answer your phone mid interview. Be polite.

You want to put the person at ease, while at the same time making him or her feel comfortable. You need to treat each job applicant with the importance he or she deserves. Give him or her the same respect you expect in return. Remember, this person is potentially looking at joining your team. A bad impression could send the applicant running for the door which would be extremely bad, particularly if she or she had the exact qualifications and skills you need. 

Don’t Get Distracted

Once you’ve scheduled the interview, make sure you don’t have any conflicting appointments, meetings or plans. Find a nice, quiet place to conduct the interview and let others know you are not to be interrupted. As I’ve said, a job applicant needs to know and feel he or she is important. If you take the time and give the person your undivided attention, that’s a good sign. If you are constantly being interrupted or you are trying to conduct the interview (over the phone maybe) while multitasking, it will reflect poorly on you and your company.

I’ve seen too many times where highly qualified candidates get put off because an employer couldn’t take a little time out of their day to conduct a professional, one-on-one interview. Don’t let this be you.

Give Ample Time for the Interviewee to Talk

Employers sometimes get ahead of themselves when conducting an interview. You may get so excited about the position and possibility of the highly-qualified individual in front of you joining your team that you get off track a little bit.

Yes, let the applicant know about you, your company, its goals and the open position. But also take the time to get to know the candidate in front of you. Give him or her ample time to talk. You’re there to find out about the person in order to determine whether he or she will be a great match. If you take over the entire interview, you’ll never find that out and the person may leave the interview wondering if you were really interested in the first place.

Don’t Hem and Haw, Make an Offer

If you want to get a position filled and you found a candidate you think would be an ideal fit, then make an offer. Make it now! Don’t hem and haw. Don’t think about it. Don’t consider interviewing other people. Make an offer and follow up on it until it is either accepted or turned down.

Job candidates cannot be expected to wait for an extended period of time for an answer from an employer. They need to know right away whether the employer is interested in hiring them and what the offer will be. Even if they don’t plan to start in the immediate future, and especially if they do, you need to seal the deal. Any delay could mean the applicant will start going on other job interviews (or maybe they are already doing so). You don’t want to miss out because you took too long. When you find a qualified candidate, jump at the chance to make him or her part of your team.

Put these steps into practice now. You and your company will be very thankful you did.

If you need help getting a position filled in your practice or clinic, we can help! For the last 20 years, the People Link has been dedicated to helping companies achieve their hiring objectives. Our focus is on finding qualified healthcare applicants to fill open positions in both the Dental and Allied Healthcare industries, to the benefit of all. We have an extremely high success rate and look forward to helping you get your positions filled fast.

To find out more about our services, visit The People Link online or call Mya directly at 818-890-9998 to obtain a free, no-obligation consultation.