Recruit and interview for success
Times have changed, which means the traditional style of interviewing and recruiting may no longer work as well as it used to. As the professional landscape evolves, so must our approaches to finding and bringing on new talent in the conservation and environmental space.
In this Reader, our Deputy Director for People and Culture, James Kiogora, provides easy-to-implement tips to ensure your interviewing and recruiting processes are successful, respectful, and reflect your organizational values.
Before the interview, during recruitment
Identify both core needs and cultural fit →
Before starting the recruitment process, clearly define the technical skills and cultural attributes essential for the role. Look for candidates who not only meet the technical requirements but also align with your organization's values and culture. And remember, cultural fit doesn’t mean someone looks like or acts like everyone else on your team. Rather it means they seem to share similar values that will guide their decisions and actions.
Ensure you communicate clearly and transparently →
Ensure that job descriptions are clear and detailed. Provide candidates with a realistic preview of the role and the organization, including potential challenges and growth opportunities. This transparency helps set the right expectations from the outset.
Remember, every candidate’s experience matters →
Treat candidates with respect throughout the recruitment process. A positive candidate experience reflects well on your brand and can attract top talent. How you handle the recruitment process says a lot about your organization and team.
During the interviewing process
We all have been here, and know how intimidating and daunting being interviewed can be. Remember, you want to bring the best out of your candidates, so making this process welcoming and engaging is important.
Keep the interview process fair and efficient →
Ensure that the interview process is fair and does not involve too many stages - an overly lengthy process can be discouraging and burdensome for the candidates. Many organizations have been criticized for this, including Maliasili! We’ve since reflected a lot on our processes and the stages of interviews, and have used the feedback from candidates to grow and strengthen our recruitment system.
Aim for an approach that assesses all potential hires fairly. At various stages, involve team members from different departments and programs to provide diverse perspectives.
Remember, maintaining fairness and efficiency helps keep candidates engaged and enhances your organization's reputation.
Treat all interviewees with respect →
Respect and humanize the interview process. Make candidates feel valued and their time respected. This starts with simple gestures like making eye contact and establishing rapport through small talk before diving into technical questions.
A simple tip here is to ask a check-in question to the candidate to make them feel at ease, before diving right into the technical questions. Answer the check-in question yourself to model how it works and demonstrate the conversational nature of the interview.
Use positive body language. Smile, make eye contact, and nod to show that you are engaged and interested in what they are saying.
We recently helped one of our partners, SORALO, recruit for a communications lead. SORALO offered each candidate a cup of tea and lunch for those who had to stay longer. Simple things like this do leave a mark.
Create a comfortable environment →
Avoid intimidating settings like panel interviews across long tables. The goal here is not to intimidate your candidates but to make them feel at ease so that they can showcase their best selves.
Avoid having too many interviewers at the same time. While it's easy to want to include multiple team members to get a well-rounded perspective, having too many people in the room can overwhelm the candidate. Instead, opt for smaller interview panels or one-on-one interviews to create a more comfortable and conversational atmosphere.
Often, at Maliasili, we will have casual conversations with candidates - over Zoom or a coffee - before diving into the formal interview process. We’ve found this to be very helpful in really understanding candidates in a less formal and more relaxed setting, allowing us to gauge their true personality and cultural fit within our organization. It also values their time as we try to gauge their fit without requiring endless interviews.
Ensure that the interview setting is free from interruptions. Turn off your phone and avoid distractions to show respect for the candidate’s time.
If you can, sit at a round table during the interview process, which feels less daunting. Some of our partners prefer to hold meetings outside in a garden space, if available, which helps make things less intimidating.
If you’re using Zoom, try to have everyone on a different screen rather than groups of your team sitting together.
Reflect your organization positively →
Remember, your interviewing process reflects your organizational brand. How you interact with candidates can leave a lasting impression. Be professional, warm, and approachable to create a positive image of your organization. You may not end up hiring that person today, but maybe they would be a great fit in a year or two - or maybe they have a colleague they would recommend.
Balance technical and culture fit questions →
While technical skills are crucial, don't overlook cultural fit. Ask questions that help you gauge a candidate’s values and how they align with your organization. For instance, ask about their preferred work environment or how they handle conflict. Here are some examples of questions to ask to gauge culture fit:
What values are most important to you in a workplace?
What do you know about our company culture, and how do you think you would fit in?
How would your colleagues describe you as a person?
What drives you in your career? What are your motivations?
Keep things clear and simple →
Use plain language and avoid organizational or industry jargon that may not be familiar to all candidates. We have many acronyms and abbreviations that we all use in the conservation field (including us at Maliasili!), so remember not everyone will know what they mean.
Listen more, speak less →
An effective interview is one where the interviewer listens more than they speak. This approach allows you to understand the candidate’s capabilities and cultural alignment better.
Discuss career alignment →
Ensure that the candidate’s career aspirations align with what your organization can offer. Discuss the future of the role and growth opportunities within the organization. This helps in setting mutual expectations and ensures long-term satisfaction.
Be open, and answer the candidate’s questions →
Encourage candidates to ask questions throughout the interview. This makes the process feel more like a conversation and less like an interrogation. Be open to answering any questions candidates may have about the role or the organization. This not only helps to provide clarity but also demonstrates transparency and respect for the candidate’s decision-making process.
If possible, take your shortlisted candidates to the field →
If possible, take your shortlisted candidates to the field to visit some of your programs and meet more of your team members. This will help them better see and understand your work, and you can also gauge their ability to integrate with the team, adapt to field conditions, and demonstrate their practical skills and enthusiasm for the work.
After the interview
Provide timely and honest feedback →
Share updates with your candidates promptly, as they would appreciate knowing where they stand and what the next steps are. This transparency builds trust and keeps candidates engaged.
Follow-up communication →
Send a thank-you email appreciating the candidate’s time and effort. This will leave a positive final impression and maintain goodwill.
Evaluate and debrief internally →
Hold a debrief meeting with your interview panel to discuss each candidate’s strengths and areas of improvement. Compare notes to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of each candidate.
Reference checks →
Conduct thorough reference checks to verify the candidate’s past performance, work ethic, and fit for the role. This step can provide valuable insights beyond the interview.
Prepare and extend your offer →
Prepare a detailed offer letter outlining the role, compensation, benefits, and other relevant details. Ensure the offer aligns with the expectations set during the interview process. Reach out to your chosen candidate to extend the offer personally. Follow up with a meeting and an official offer letter, and provide them with ample time to review and ask any questions.
For great candidates not selected, consider referring them to your partners or suitable organizations →
Often, we interview outstanding individuals who may not be the right fit for the role, but we keep in touch and sometimes refer them to our partners. For great candidates who are not selected, consider referring them to other suitable organizations. Additionally, maintaining a positive relationship with promising candidates ensures they remain part of your talent pipeline, making them potential fits for future opportunities.
Create a comprehensive onboarding plan →
Begin planning the onboarding process to ensure a smooth transition for the new hire. Create an onboarding schedule that includes introductions to team members, training sessions, and an overview of the organizational culture and processes.
Regularly refine your onboarding plan to make sure it’s up-to-date and relevant to your organization at the time. Keep it simple, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
At Maliasili, each new team member has an onboarding ‘buddy’ - a colleague who’s not your supervisor (and often from a different team) who holds your hand and helps you navigate the new role and understand how things work in the organization.
Review and improve the internal interviewing process →
Reflect on the interview process to identify any areas for improvement. Gather feedback that will help you refine your approach and enhance future hiring experiences.
Want more advice from Kiogora? Here, he talks about investing in teams to make them great.