Recruiting is about selling. In this case, the product bundle you’re selling is your company and the open position. The job applicant is your sales lead. Our advice is to treat interviews (esp. the first one!) as sales calls.

Candidates will fall off at every step of the funnel. You will likely talk to hundreds of candidates at the top of the funnel to make your first few hires.

If you are a small company, that’s only working on their employer brand, it becomes crucial in attracting top talent.

The pass-through rate depends on multiple factors, including:

• Your company’s brand
• Candidate experience
• Where you find candidates (source of hire)
• Length and complexity of the hiring process
• Competing offers

Some of these factors are completely out of your control. For instance, a candidate might receive an exceptionally high competing offer or face personal changes such as a family relocation that impact their decision.

However, most factors are within your control. You can define, observe, improve, and eventually manage them effectively.

Things You Can and Should Control:

1. Stir up enough interest among desired candidates so they consider your organization their first choice for employment. Ask yourself, "Why would a candidate want to work for us?"
2. Ensure you are not losing great talent due to issues with the recruitment or interview process itself.

Initial Sales Conversation

Interviewing is a give-and-take process. We operate in a candidate-driven market, so the best way to start your hiring process is with a “sales call.”

Ideally, a Design Manager/Lead, CDO, or CEO should drive these initial 30-minute calls with hand-picked candidates. Why?