From Zoom Window to Office Window: a Guide to Engaging Candidates with Your Organization

With more interviews moving to Zoom, it is more important than ever to provide opportunities for candidates to see your organization in action. This is more easily accomplished when your candidates do not require relocation and reside nearby. While it’s often more convenient to host conversations virtually, if your work requires in-person attendance in any capacity, making the time and effort to host a candidate in person—whether for an interview or other engagement—could affect the outcome of a search.

We generally try to limit interaction with other candidates by inviting them on different days or at least at different times. (You never know who will run into whom in the restroom!) It goes without saying that the candidate is “comped”—that is, not charged admission when invited to attend an interview or organization event.

There are many ways to engage a candidate outside of the formal interview process. Examples of this include:

• If your search coincides with a spring fundraiser (cocktail party, school fair, concert, etc.), it is easy to invite a lead candidate to attend. You can preserve candidate confidentiality and have a search committee member host the candidate.
• If your organization hosts classes, performances, religious services, or other weekly events, invite a candidate to visit.

It is also useful to see who undertakes this opportunity on their own. For instance, for a museum search, you might be reluctant to advance the candidacy of anyone who didn’t take the time to visit the museum.

A visit can provide a candidate with more insight into the potential job and help them discern if the environment is a good fit. Occasionally, a candidate will balk, question, or withdraw if, say, the visit reveals a windowless future basement office.

More often, the opportunity for the candidate to interact with the team and experience the workspace firsthand can make them become even more interested in the opportunity—and more likely to accept an offer.

When working with DRG for an executive search, we’ll help your organization provide the best candidate experience, ensuring that your organization’s culture, mission, and values are represented throughout the process.

Ready to elevate your candidate experience? Reach out to DRG Talent or email us at info@drgconsulting.com to get started.