PHILADELPHIA, PA —With unemployment rates near all-time lows and an increasing number of Americans exiting the workforce, companies are struggling to attract and keep the best talent. This labor shortage in the U.S. continues to pose challenges for recruiters. A recent survey by Yoh, an international talent and outsourcing company, offers organizations solutions to this. The survey focuses on enhancing interview methods to lure, engage and meet the expectations of today’s job seekers.
The survey included a range of questions, with respondents asked which they’d prefer to be asked during a job interview. The most favored question, selected by 54% of the participants, was fairly traditional: “What do you think makes you a good candidate for this job?” The online survey was carried out by The Harris Poll on behalf of Yoh, with 2,084 participating adults aged 18 years and older.
The importance of interviews in the recruitment process cannot be overstated. According to Emmett McGrath, President of Yoh, hiring managers need to find a balance between asking traditional questions and innovative ones that test applicants’ creativity and problem-solving abilities. This is crucial considering the ongoing talent dearth and the need to maximize all recruitment touchpoints.
In the survey, 90% of the respondents wished to be asked one or more of the following questions during a job interview:
- What makes you a good candidate for this job?
- Which soft skills do you possess that would make you a good fit for this job?
- What did you enjoy most about your last job?
- What is a noteworthy accomplishment, personal or professional, and why?
- How do you cope with high-stress situations at work?
- What would success mean to you in this position?
Findings from the survey suggest three main discussion areas that resonate with job applicants:
- Positivity: Applicants prefer positively framed questions over negative ones. More want to be asked about what they liked in their last job than what they didn’t.
- Adversity: Especially among minority groups, applicants are interested in sharing how they’ve managed difficult circumstances.
- Accomplishments: Most applicants are keen to discuss their achievements. The desire for this increases with age, income, and education level.
However, not all questions are appreciated by job seekers. Two types of questions to avoid, according to the survey, involve individual needs and hypothetical scenarios.
McGrath emphasizes the need for a qualified talent partner to source candidates. He states that by the end of an interview, a hiring manager should fully understand whether the applicant’s background and experience align with the role’s requirements. Sometimes, simple questions can help make this process easier and faster.
Implications of these findings are significant for organizations. They can shape their interviewing approach to better appeal to prospective employees based on their needs and preferences. This shift may help to alleviate recruiting challenges in the ongoing labor shortage, and foster a more productive and satisfactory hiring process for both parties.
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