As a recruiter, you may have your interview questions panned out, your location, your dress code, but for that seamless interview experience, it's also important to know how to end an interview graciously.
In this blog post, we will look at how to end an interview properly from both the candidate and recruiter’s perspectives. Let’s find out more
Why You Want a Good Ending
Interviewers need to be well prepared for the interview and must have a clear understanding of what they want to ask candidates and how to conclude the interview.
We all know that interviews are not just about asking questions and collecting information. It is an opportunity for the interviewer to sell themselves to the potential candidate. However, it is also an opportunity for the candidate to evaluate if they want to work for this company.
A good ending of an interview is something you need in order to get hired and likewise hire top talent.
Here are some tips on how you can end your interview right:
1. Ask Memorable Questions
For Candidates:
At the end of an interview, it's important to ask questions that will have recruiters thinking about the person they are interviewing or what they are interviewing for. You can also ask questions that will help them determine if you would be good in the role.
Examples of these questions can include:
1. What is the most appealing aspect of this company in your opinion?
2. What are the major difficulties you face working for this organisation?
3. Can you tell me a little more about the responsibilities of this role and why the previous employee has vacated?
4. How do you measure your success in this role?
5. What type of person benefits the most from working at this company and what qualities does someone need for success?
These questions give candidates an insight into the company culture and give you a first-hand insight into the pros and cons of what it may be like to work for the company.
2. Present your closing statement
When you're conducting a job interview, it's important to have an ending statement prepared. This is the last opportunity to express your interest in the candidate and how they would be a good fit for the company. Closing statements also serve as a way to reinforce your company's culture and values.
Closing statements should be concise and memorable enough for the candidate to remember them when they think back on their interview. It should not take more than a minute or two of your time, but rather focus on what makes your company unique and how an individual will be able to contribute there.
3. Discuss your Goal and Expectations
Interviewers should ask themselves what they are trying to achieve out of the interview. For example, are they looking for someone with the right skills to fill a position or are they looking for someone who is a good fit for their company?
For candidates, if you want to know more about the goals of the company, it might be best to ask about them at the start of your interview. The interviewer may not have thought about what their goals are yet and it may help you understand what kind of candidate they need.
You should also find out whether there is anything else you can do after your interview that will help them decide if you’re the best person for the job.
4. Allow Time for Others to Speak
Good interviews are lengthy, so it is important to allow other people to share their thoughts.
Therefore, when the interview is over, you should have the candidate summarize what they would like to say about themselves. Be sure to take notes because these summaries will be compiled into a final draft of the interview.
When you are done with an interview, don't forget to thank your candidate for their time and ask them if there is anything else that they want to say or add.
5. Discussing Next Steps
The concluding question is the last step of the interview process. It’s also one of the most important because it can leave a positive or negative impression.
As a candidate, before you end your interview, make sure to thank the interviewer for their time and reiterate how you plan to follow up with them.
Recruiters should ask the candidate if they have any questions, or if they would like to ask anything that has not been addressed.
The interviewer should then go through the process of asking for an agreement of confidentiality if necessary. This is when the candidate cannot disclose any of the information that was discussed during recruitment without explicit permission.
6. Examples of How to End an Interview
The end of an interview is an important step for both sides. Recruiters want to make sure that they are hiring the right talent for the role. The candidate needs to know their worth so they can decide whether or not this is a company they would want to work for.
Here are some good examples of how to end an interview for both candidate and recruiter:
How to end an interview for candidates
While interviews are meant to be a way for recruiters to learn more about potential candidates, it's also an opportunity for candidates to learn more about the company.
Questions candidates should ask at the end of an interview:
- End the interview on a positive note. This includes thanking the interviewer for their time, sharing some insights from your conversation, and reiterating your interest in the position.
- Ensure you ask for any additional information that they may have about the position and company before you leave.
- Ask for feedback on what you need to improve on before interviewing with them again.
- Find out what comes next, or how they will hear from the recruiter.
- Give a positive final answer or ask if there is anything else that they need or want to know from you before they leave.
- Send a thank you email or letter to the interviewer.
You should never feel too comfortable at the end of an interview. You must always be prepared for the fact that not all interviews will work out. Candidates may get a better offer from another company, or sometimes it just may not be a good fit for them and they would rather go in a different direction.
How to End an Interview for Recruiters
Because interviews are a two-way process, recruiters should try their best to make sure that they end on a positive note.
Most interviews come to an end with the interviewer asking the candidate if they have any final comments. However, there are a few other ways to conclude an interview that is more appropriate for certain situations.
- Recruiters ask the candidate if there is anything else that they would like to add and provide a time and date for another meeting.
- Ask the candidate for their view on what they just discussed and how it might be applied to their next position or organization.
- Request references or paperwork if not already received.
- Thank the candidate for their time and commitment to the interview. Shake hands with the candidate (unless social distancing rules apply, in which case just stand up so they mirror your behaviour). Provide a hand signal to lead the candidate out of the room. Be courteous and walk the candidate to the lobby.
- Let the candidate know what comes next in the hiring process. Inform them how and when you’ll be in contact.
- Give the candidate an opportunity to provide feedback on the company's candidate experience. Usually, companies will use a candidate survey feedback form. Learning from your interview experience as a recruiter is just as important as a candidate learning from their interview experience too.
How can candidates end a one-way video interview?
Reworking Interview Candidate Feedback Sharing
One-way interviews are candidate focused. Therefore, for candidates to really stand out from the crowd, they should aim to make their closing statement as interesting and memorable as possible.
After the set of interview questions are over, candidates must use their opportunity to speak freely and offer some closing statements on why they are the best fit for the role.
A great way candidates can do this is by doing one of three things:
- Express their personal interest in working for the company.
- Re-iterate why their experience and skills are suitable for the role.
- Reveal an interesting hobby or fact about yourself that may pique the recruiter's interest!
How to end an interview properly
We hope this blog post has enabled both recruiters and candidates to feel confident with closing an interview in an efficient, memorable and sleek way.
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