In an era marked by a global talent shortage, rapid technological advancements, and a widening skills gap, businesses’ approach to hiring has never been more critical.
One persistent issue is candidates turning down offers or disappearing from the process altogether—leaving hiring teams asking, “Why?”
The answer lies in the candidate experience.
Recent data reveals that 53 percent of job seekers have had at least one negative hiring experience, and over half of them have declined job offers as a result.
To combat this, it’s all the more important for businesses to focus on a key element of the hiring process: training hiring managers.
In this post, we’ll explore how to design a robust hiring manager training program and offer interview tips for hiring managers to foster inclusivity and elevate your overall hiring process.
The importance of training hiring managers
When hiring managers conduct great interviews, it supports an exceptional candidate experience and results in better hires.
Without proper training, managers may inadvertently contribute to a poor candidate experience. In fact, 62.2 percent of candidates report “bad interview vibes” as their top reason for rejecting a job offer.
It’s not just about filling roles—it’s about creating a consistent, inclusive, and efficient process that leaves candidates with a positive impression of your organization.
What is a great candidate experience?
A great candidate experience:
- Builds trust
- Strengthens your organization’s reputation as a desirable place to work
- Includes transparency from the outset, with a well-crafted job posting that clearly and accurately outlines the role, responsibilities, compensation, and benefits
- Provides timely and consistent updates throughout the hiring journey
What does an awesome hiring manager training program look like?
An awesome hiring manager training program helps raise the bar on the quality of hires and improves the overall recruitment process by teaching hiring managers effective interview techniques.
Great training programs:
- Meet the needs and experience level of hiring managers
- Eliminate outdated practices
- Provide actionable strategies for hiring managers to walk away with
- Come with facilitators who have a wealth of experience in talent acquisition
- Balance soft skills for interviewing with hard skills such as assessing technical capabilities
- Ask for feedback from participants once they complete them, ensuring continuous improvement
Before launching a hiring manager training program, it’s essential to secure buy-in from the hiring managers themselves—because there may be some pushback.
Some managers may feel they’re too experienced for training. Highlight how the training will build on their existing knowledge and make their hiring process more efficient, showing them why the programs are worth their time.
How to set up your hiring manager interview training
By outlining the steps below in your interview training for hiring managers, you’ll ensure managers are ready to conduct interviews that lead to better hires and create a positive candidate experience:
Step 1: Come prepared
Preparation makes hiring managers more efficient and improves the overall quality of their interviews. It means they can focus on what matters most: identifying the right talent for the role.
The checklist below can help hiring managers ensure they’re prepared:
- Review job description
- Review resume/CV
- Review screen interview (if applicable)
- Prepare questions to ask the candidate
- Practice asking the questions
Step 2: Set a goal for the interview
It’s important that hiring managers design every interview with a clear goal in mind: understanding whether the candidate has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in the role.
It’s possible to develop skills through training, but it’s essential that a candidate has a solid foundation of abilities to build those skills on.
Step 3: Know what skills and competencies you’re looking for
Before the interview, define the skills and competencies that align with the role. What soft and hard skills are critical for success?
Whether it’s leadership, a particular type of technical expertise, or problem-solving, be clear on what you’re looking for.
Step 4: Be conscious of body language
Reading non-verbal cues, such as posture, eye contact, and hand movements can give hiring managers a fuller understanding of the candidate’s responses.
It’s important that hiring managers are conscious of their own body language, too, ensuring they project openness and attentiveness throughout the interview—it all contributes to a positive candidate experience.
Step 5: How to craft questions
Good questions not only help assess the candidate’s technical qualifications but also give insights into their values, work style, and ability to adapt.
Here are some sample interview questions to guide hiring managers:
- “What is your preferred communication style?”
- “How do you handle breaks in routine, interruptions, and last-minute changes?”
- “We all get frustrated from time to time. Can you give me an example of something that frustrates you and how you’ve worked through it?”
- “What gets you excited about the future?”
- “If you won the lottery, what would you do with your time?”
Crafting questions that focus on behaviors and situations reveals candidates’ values and motivations and gives them the chance to share real-life examples of how they’ve handled challenges in the past.
How to keep questions compliant
During interviews, it’s important to ask job-specific questions that focus on the candidate’s skills and abilities. That way, hiring managers will comply with employment laws and create an equitable hiring process that attracts diverse talent.
Take a look at some non-compliant interview questions alongside their compliant alternatives:
- Instead of “Are you a US citizen?” try “Are you authorized to work in the US?”
- Instead of “You sound like you have an accent—where are you from?” try “What languages do you speak?” (if relevant to the position)
- Instead of “What religious holidays do you observe?” try “Are you able to meet the work schedule requirement?”
- Instead of “Do you have children?” try “Do you have any commitments that may prevent you from working the anticipated schedule?”
- Instead of “How old are you?” try “Are you over the age of 18?”
- Instead of “Are you pregnant?” try “Do you have any upcoming leave planned?”
- Instead of “Do you have a disability?” try “Are you able to perform the functions of the position with or without accommodation?”
Step 6: Encourage a conversation
Encouraging open conversation gives both parties the chance to assess fit. Remember, interviews are a two-way street. When a hiring manager takes the time to really engage with a candidate, it leaves them with a great impression of your organization—even if they don’t get the job.
It’s about building trust and showing that your company values people for more than just the skills they bring to the table.
Recommended For Further Reading
Find the right balance in timing
Rushing candidates into making a decision can leave a negative impression and diminish their excitement about the role. And long delays can lead to frustration and even cause top candidates to lose interest or accept other offers.
A great candidate experience has the right balance between these two extremes.
It’s also essential to follow up, regardless of the outcome. Whether you decide to move forward with a candidate or not, prompt communication is a sign of professionalism and respect.
Train hiring managers for success
Well-trained hiring managers not only make better hiring decisions but also contribute to an environment that values and respects candidates—creating a reputation that attracts top talent.
By focusing on preparation, communication, and respect during interviews, hiring managers can avoid common pitfalls that lead to candidates turning down job offers.
An effective hiring manager training program equips managers with the tools to engage candidates better and ensures every touchpoint is positive, resulting in higher offer acceptance rates and long-term success.
