An interview with a bilingual candidate

The Employers’ Guide to Making the Right First Impression

Recruitment is a double-edged sword. There’s certainly no shortage of articles out there telling candidates how they can make the right impression on recruiters, but as an employer, if you want to attract the best talent, the same applies to you.

With a significant language skills gap in the UK, bilingual candidates are currently in high demand. That means if you want to attract and retain the best talent, you need to consider every aspect of your pre-hire and interview process to make sure the most qualified bilingual candidates want to work for you.

How to create a positive and lasting impression

You might think that the first opportunity you have to really impress the candidate is at the interview, but there are numerous touch points before that which give you the chance to make your mark. For that reason, it’s essential you consider each part of the process carefully and start as you mean to go on. Here are some questions you should ask to fine tune your recruitment process…

  1. Does the job specification sell the organisation effectively and provide enough information about the role?
  2. Do you have a careers page on your website or some other resource candidates can use to find out more about working for you?
  3. How easy do you make it for prospective candidates to contact you and how quickly do you respond?
  4. How well do you prepare for interviews? At the very least, you should familiarise yourself with an applicant’s CV before they arrive.
  5. Are you punctual? Much is made of a candidate’s timeliness but you must also turn up for the interview on time.
  6. How long do you spend with each candidate? First impressions certainly count, but they’re not always accurate. Allow each candidate at least 25 minutes to give them the chance to really impress.
  7. Do you listen more than you talk? The job interview is all about the candidate, so sit back and let them sell themselves.
  8. Do you provide prompt and constructive feedback? Telling someone they haven’t got the job might not be your idea of a good time, but letting the candidate know as quickly as possible and providing constructive feedback is something they’ll value.

Be consistent throughout the process

It’s also important to understand what we mean by creating the right first impression. That does not mean you do things purely for show. For example, holding the interview in your colourful new breakout space might not be the best idea if the room they’ll be working in is the greyest of corporate spaces. That’s because it might give them a false impression of the company and the role.

For that reason, the recruitment process should reflect the organisational culture and give the candidate an idea of what it’s really like to work for the company.

The help you need

If you’re not creating the right first impression in your search for bilingual candidates, we can help. We work with you long before the interviews to attract the best talent.

Read about our services for clients and call 02392 987 765 or email info@linguistica-recruitment.com to find out more.