Interviews for HR roles rated among worst by jobseekers

This placed the HR sector as the second-highest sector with the highest rate of negative experiences, just below the media and communications sector, which had a 26% negative experience rate. 

Other sectors with the highest rate of negative experiences include the legal (24%), product and project management (22%), and marketing (21%). 

On the other hand, the sector with the highest positive experience rate was recorded in transportation, with 83%. Sectors with the highest positive experience rate include: 

• Military and protective services (74%)   
• Retail and food services (71%)   
• Healthcare (70%)   
• Skilled labour and manufacturing (69%)   
• Admin (68%)   
• Customer services and support (68%)   
• Consulting (66%)   
• Education (66%) 

Most difficult interviews 

Meanwhile, the Reboot Online report also revealed that interviews for the arts and design sector were the hardest for jobseekers, with an average difficulty score of 3.4. 

Coming after it were interviews for research and design (3.2), as well as the retail and food services sector (3.1). 

Impact of negative candidate experience 

A negative experience of job candidates during the recruitment process can impact organisations in various ways, according to Alexa Lemzy, project and quality manager at TextMagic. 

Lemzy, in an article for Vervoe, outlined the following effects of bad interview experiences for jobseekers: 

• Poor brand image   
• Lack of interest from qualified applicants   
• Longer time to hire 

She added that employers need to look out for red flags during an interview, which can leave a negative impression on jobseekers. They are: 

• Repeated or long waiting periods between interviews   
• Asking predictable questions   
• Taking too long to respond after an interview   
• Unclear expectations and job requirements   
• Poor interview preparation and logistics   
• Using discriminatory language   
• Being late or forgetting about meetings 

Improving the interview process 

To improve the interview process, Lemzy provided the following advice: 

• Set clear expectations with a realistic job preview   
• Structure the interview process   
• Align the interview experience with the company values   
• Create a hiring procedure and get everyone on board   
• Be honest and timely   
• Improve communication with candidates 

California Labour Solutions, in a LinkedIn article, also underscored that the interview process can be the "make-or-break moment" in the candidate's experience with the employer. 

To improve the interview experience, the HR advisor offered the following tips: 

• Recruiters need to be prepared by researching candidates and their backgrounds, and by understanding the role they're applying for and how to sell it to the candidate   
• Respect candidates' time by being punctual for interviews, and by showing basic social skills   
• Build rapport with the candidates by connecting conversationally with them   
• Communicate well and often, and don't leave candidates guessing about where they are in the process   
• Continuously self-improve by assessing previous interviews