MightyRecruiterIf you’re looking for new and effective ways to hire well-qualified candidates to become members of your company, you might want to consider peer interviewing. A peer interview is basically where you have one of your employees sit down and talk with a job candidate in order to assess whether the candidate would be a good match for the company. While this technique can be effective, it’s not without its pitfalls, ones of which you’ll want to make yourself fully aware.
Pros of Peer Interviews
One of the best things about opting for a peer interview is that applicants are able to get a more substantial idea of what it’s like to work for your company. As the business owner or hiring manager, you likely don’t have the same perspective of your company as someone in a more ïboots on the groundï position. Your employees are able to give a more accurate representation of what potential candidates are likely to encounter and experience on a day-to-day basis while under your employ.
Another great thing about peer interviewing is that candidates aren’t as likely to be intimidated by an employee as they might be with a hiring manager or business owner. While the applicant knows the employee’s opinion of her or him holds sway on whether he or she is likely to be get the job, there’s not as much pressure to watch every word exchanged and implication made during the course of the interview.
Something else that’s great about the peer interview is your employees are sure to feel more valued when you include them in hiring decisions. After all, they’re going to be the ones spending the most time with the new person, so they might as well see how well they get along with that individual and whether he or she is up to the job.
Cons of Peer Interviews
Something to be aware of when it comes to peer interviewing is that some of your employees might feel insecure or intimidated by a potential hire. One employee could feel as if the applicant is a threat to her or his job and make a decision out of fear. To help prevent this from happening, you’ll want to choose employees who are generally well liked by their coworkers. Employees should come from a cultural cross-section to give deeper insight into potential hires and have a healthy idea of the type of candidate you desire.
An additional downside of peer interviews is an employee may unintentionally present the company in a negative light, which is why it’s essential you carefully choose the employee who will conduct the interview. You don’t want a member of your workforce to give the impression that employees aren’t valued as much as they should be or that the work environment is more relaxed than it actually is. This only serves to set the job candidate up for failure and disappointment should he or she get the job.
One more thing to consider when it comes to the negative aspects of peer interviewing is they can be time consuming if not structured properly. While you want employees to properly and thoroughly vet candidates, you don’t want them to take so long doing it that their regular job duties fall to the wayside, which might result in the employee staying later or simply falling behind, something neither of you will appreciate. To address this before it happens, you’ll want to limit interviews to a specific amount of time and make sure interviewers have a list of specific questions to ask. You’ll also want to take steps to make the applicant assessment process more efficient. Doing this keeps the interview from going off the rails.
An Additional Consideration
In addition to the above pros and cons, you should also make sure the entire interviewing process is properly balanced. What this means is that job candidates shouldn’t spend more time with your employees than they do your managers or supervisors in a more traditional interviewing capacity. While it’s good to have employees meet with the individuals they might soon be working with, your managers and supervisors should also have ample opportunity to have their say in the matter. This also allows your current employees to compare notes with company leaders when determining whether to hire an individual.
There’s a lot more to learn about peer interviewing, building the best business possible and making all-star hires. To learn more, be sure to explore all of the expert tools and articles available here on Mighty Recruiter.