When applying for a new job, you have to be aware that you will have great competition around you, because there is always a chance that some candidate is better than you. But, another important thing is to create an exceptional CV that will be inviting enough for the recruiters to call you and invite you for an interview. Every company has a policy when announcing open job positions, and criteria that they follow when they choose the right people for that position. Probably they will receive a lot of CVs and cover letters, and they will have a difficult task to choose the best ones, but every candidate hopes they will be the chosen ones who will get an interview invitation soon.
During your career, you will apply to many potential job positions, and sometimes you won’t hear from the company again. That shouldn’t discourage you, and you shouldn’t stop applying for the jobs you are eligible for. But, is there any pattern that the HR experts and recruiters are following when they are choosing the right candidate? Can you count on the number of interviews you passed, so you can know if they would hire you or not?
There is no rule for that, even though some applicants believe that it takes at least two interviews so they will be hired. Also, multiple invitations can be frustrating and exhausting, and not every candidate is able to handle that pressure and repeating the same things over and over again. According to some theories, it takes up to three rounds so the recruiters can estimate your knowledge, dedication, and skills before they decide to hire you. You can click here and find out why are they doing that.
Basically, these three rounds cover:
Getting to know the basic things about the candidate
After they see your CV and find you eligible for the position, they will want to meet you in person, so they can get the right impression of you, as a worker. Your behavior will show them a lot, and that’s your pass to the second phase. Initially, they will ask some obvious questions, so they can confirm your CV is real, and you don’t lie about anything. Nowadays, this part is usually performed over a phone call or through an email questionnaire form.
Creating a deep and detailed image about the candidate
In the second phase, the questions will be more detailed, and you will need to give exact and concise answers. Sometimes, it may include brief skills tests, so they can estimate your skills, and of course, the knowledge you have on the particular topic. This is the most important round, because it will determine if you go further to the final step, or you will be eliminated. Remember, no matter what happens, it shouldn’t affect your self-confidence. Sometimes, it may happen that the other candidate has a better day than yours, and they are able to present themselves in a better way.
The moment of truth
When you “arrive” in the final round, probably they have to decide between you and another one or two candidates. The competition is really big, so they may give you some complicated task or problem, and you will have to find the proper solution for that. According to the results, the HR department will have to decide who to hire. Once again, if you are not their final choice, that shouldn’t discourage you, and you have to work on yourself to be even better for the next company that will invite you.
Of course, this is just a theoretical determination, and depending on the nature of the job, you can have less or more than three rounds. Every company has a policy that should be followed before the final decision is made. But, the answer lies in the reverse process.
As a candidate, you are bookmarking the job ads, you see what they look for, decide where to apply, create an exceptional CV, and then submit the application. See, you don’t apply to every ad, and that’s why the recruiters won’t invite every applicant to an interview. Also, keep in mind that during the pandemic, all the things are slower than before, and sometimes it may take up to a whole month until you hear from them for the first time. In most cases, they will do the initial phase over a phone, before they schedule a meeting.
How do you get prepared for this?
Once you apply for a new job, that means you are prepared for the elimination phase that follows it. As we said, they will first reach to you through a phone or email, or some messaging service, depending on their rules, and try to get to know a little about you. There are no special tricks and tips you have to know about that. You must be honest, but also, improve your talking abilities. Try to present yourself the best way you can.
You can also research a little about the potential employee. Sometimes, you can find forum topics related to them, and you will get to know some tiny things that can make a huge difference. Try to learn more about their mission and goals, so you can impress them. But, at the same time, keep in mind that those people are experienced and they’ve met and seen a lot of candidates, so lying, in this case, is really not needed.
Some companies will decide to hire the best candidate in the first round, and some others may not be able to do that even when they have passed the three phases. Sometimes, they will ask for an additional test and rank the candidates according to their scores. But, one thing you should never forget – even if you are denied one job, that doesn’t mean you are a bad worker. Maybe you will have to improve your speaking skills and the way you present yourself to potential employers, and we wish you a lot of luck with that.
