What makes an informed candidate ideal?
Despite being a strong seller’s market, being an informed candidate will still give you the edge
According to research from Glassdoor carried out in the U.K. and US among 750 hiring managers, 88% maintained that an informed candidate is the top quality they look for when they pass through the recruitment process. As women tend to look at the outside job market less frequently than their male colleagues, they may not be as familiar with the requirements and impact of interview preparation, which puts them at a disadvantage.
The Glassdoor findings define an informed candidate as one that is:
“well-researched, engaged and has the right qualifications”
It’s clear that you can’t change your qualifications and experience at this point in the process, but there are 4 other key areas that candidates can brush up on to put them in the desirable position of being a well-informed candidate:
- They prepare for the interview and have relevant questions at the ready.
- They understand the job role.
- They have researched the organization’s culture and values.
- They are knowledgeable about salary and benefits.
Research, research, and research
An informed candidate is an easy hire. It helps everyone in the recruitment process feel comfortable and confident that the candidate can be seamlessly onboarded. This reduces time and hiring costs and means that the successful candidate will make an early contribution. It suggests that the candidate understands well the values of the company and the culture so that there will be no surprises further down the line. Surprises are costly and lead to early churn.
Worth a read: Women need to become more active-passive candidates
This means that in-depth research of the role pays dividends even though at the time it may seem unrewarding and time-consuming. Web sites, social media platforms, and financial and business news are all valuable resources to give an up-to-date picture of an organisation including the all-important mission statement that reflects culture and values. Some companies such as Amazon post on their website the pillars of their company culture and structure interview around them. Known as “Leadership Principles” they can be brutal or challenging depending on your point of view.
It also requires becoming familiar with the job profile and all the terminology within it. If there are any doubts ask within your network or look them up online. You can even drop a mail to the HR contact. Companies are advised not to use internal buzz words and acronyms but many still do and it can be confusing.
Know your worth
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Prepare questions
Always have a list of questions that you want to ask, especially post-pandemic when working, communication and leadership styles are more blurred than they used to be. Dig deep about how the organisation handled the pandemic and what steps they will take to support your success especially if you are onboarding remotely. Do they give financial aid to a home office and what is the company policy around health precautions?
Interviews are two-way streets and if you come out without the answers to your concerns, you are letting yourself down which could lead to you making a mistake. Many of the clues can be found talking to people and reviewing their online content. Don’t be afraid to persist until you get the right answers. At the moment jobs are plentiful and you don’t have to settle.
Personal bonus
If candidates are fully prepared before the interview it gives them an added advantage. It gives them time to focus on the sub-text and hidden messages on what’s not being said. It gives time to observe the surroundings and take time to answer any tricky questions.
So being an informed candidate doesn’t just make you an ideal candidate from a company perspective, but you can also use it to your own advantage.
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