the interview dynamic that costs employers their best hires
there is a quiet assumption embedded in how many interviews are conducted: that the employer holds the power, that the candidate's role is to perform and that an offer,(if one follows), represents a decision the employer has made about the candidate
this model may be appropriate in some markets and at some levels. in fields where skilled candidates are scarce, actively sought by multiple employers, and often not looking in the first place, it is a significant liability. his is especially true in industrial automation and robotics in australia, where experienced engineers and technical specialists are in short supply and are approached regularly by competing employers.
the strongest candidates in any specialist market have options. they are approached regularly, treated well by their current employers, and unlikely to move for anything less than a genuinely compelling reason. when they do engage with an opportunity, they are evaluating the employer just as carefully as the employer is evaluating them. the quality of that experience — how they are treated, whether they feel respected, whether the opportunity is presented with clarity and genuine enthusiasm — forms a material part of their decision
when an interview feels like an interrogation, when the employer's own story is never told, or when a candidate is simply processed through a series of competency questions without any meaningful engagement, the outcome is predictable. the candidate thanks the interviewer, leaves, and accepts the offer from the employer who made them feel genuinely wanted
the employer who missed out often concludes, in retrospect, that the candidate was not truly committed. the more accurate diagnosis is usually that the process failed to hold their interest
a simple and effective adjustment is to begin every interview by thanking the candidate for their time, acknowledging that their time spent discussing the opportunity is valued, and taking the time to tell the story of the organisation — where it has come from, where it is going and why this role matters — before a single question is asked. this is not a soft approach. it is a commercially intelligent one. It signals respect, establishes context, and transforms the conversation from an audition into a genuine exchange between two parties who each have a decision to make
a friend of mine adopted the strategy of "sell the role first" during interviews some years back after a discussion we were having about how difficult he was finding it to hire in his own industry - and the results have been profound. his strategy is now to ensure that everyone he interviews wants the job. the result is that he has the opportunity to choose the best candidate - rather than the best candidate who is still interested
employers who understand this shift hire better people. those who do not will continue losing candidates to competitors who do
