Recruiting measures – how you like recruiting staff

If the invitation to an interview comes in at home or in the e-mail inbox, the applicant is happy: He was obviously successful with the recruiting measures. However, he still has to overcome one last hurdle before he can sign the employment contract for the new position.

However, if your application did not work this time, it could also have been due to your documents. The good news: We have put together a few tips for both types of applicants.

The application documents

The first step is to put together a careful application. Always remember that the application documents are your figurehead. Therefore, first and foremost, great care must be taken:

• Spelling: Make sure that there are no spelling mistakes in your cover letter or résumé. You should also keep an eye out for grammatical blunders.
  Our tip: If in doubt, have a friend or acquaintance read the application documents again. A third party will notice mistakes faster than you if you have spent a long time looking at the application documents.
• High-quality documents: You shouldn’t forget the haptic impression either if you want to write an application that convinces the HR manager. In the case of an application in paper form, the grip of the documents is also decisive – even if only subconsciously. In other words: If you use a cheap application folder and thin paper, the HR manager immediately gets this impression of you: That you are a “cheap home”. In the application process, in particular, you should definitely avoid making such an impression. Which company likes to hire applicants who only make the minimal effort?
• Uniformity: Another thing you shouldn’t ignore is a uniform presentation of your application. It starts with the font and font size. Make sure that you use both strictly in your application, i.e., do not switch back and forth between sizes and types. This not only disturbs the eye while reading, but it also makes a bad impression.

The job interview

If you were able to convince with your documents, the next step is usually the invitation to an interview. You should also be prepared for this to please the recruiters. It starts with the fact that you don’t let yourself be surprised by the different phases in the interview.

These phases await you in the interview:

• Small talk: Many applicants already have problems with the first point in the interview. Small talk is already difficult for them in informal contexts. How should the easy chat succeed in the interview when there is so much at stake? Don’t worry, even in an interview, small talk with a few simple tricks is no problem for you:
• Listen carefully! With a little luck, the HR manager will provide you with the right keywords that you can respond to. So don’t think about what smart things you could say while the HR manager is still talking. If your mind wanders, you may be missing out on important keywords to address. Practice this at home with family members or good friends. Let yourself be told a story and, in the second step, try to reproduce it as precisely as possible. That trains listening – and that’s exactly what you need to please HR professionals.
• Prepare stories: In order to survive the small talk as well as possible, you can think of some funny or exciting stories at home that you can tell if necessary. Of course, things should always be related to the conversation or the intended point. Maybe you made a big saving for your last employer? Then you shouldn’t leave it unmentioned – as long as it fits into the context, of course. Otherwise, you might scare off HR professionals rather than please them.
• Presentation of the applicant: This point is easy to prepare at home. This is best practiced in front of the mirror. Tell your reflection about yourself and the greatest professional challenges. Watch yourself carefully to see whether you have a natural look. Videos are also a great way to check.
• Introducing the company: Applicants should listen carefully here. Under certain circumstances, you can already find instructions for the next point.
• Time for the applicant’s questions: This part of the interview can also be planned in advance. Check the company website for exciting information. Googling can also help to find out news about the company, which you can then use to inquire about in the interview. So you are sure to please the HR staff.
• Summary and farewell: Just a few more minutes, and it’s done. The HR manager will once again summarize the most important points of the interview before the farewell begins. At this point, you can emphasize once again how much you would be happy to become part of the team. Finally, a friendly and confident goodbye with a firm handshake will help you please the HR staff.