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Are interviews unhelpful?

07.03.07 - Is an interview the best way of assessing a candidate?

In a recent article in the Recruiter Magazine, Stephen Davis argues that a better approach would be as follows: (1) give full specifics of your post prior to interview - this can sometimes be very frustrating in legal recruitment - firms give very vague requirements and are surprised when candidates get annoyed at travelling a long way to find the post to be inappropriate!, (2) each candidate asked to supply a CV and personal statement, complete an online personality test, complete an online numeracy and verbal test, provide evidence of professional qualifications (not really relevant for solicitors) and a written response to a specific legal/business issue. This sounds like a good idea - apart from the online tests, which most lawyers would be horrified by! (3) information assessed by external recruiter and (4) preferred candidate chosen to go forward - meeting colleagues to be working with, (5) task set for the solicitor to undertake to prove their mettle and (6) meeting to negotiate terms of employment. 

This is a very thorough way of undertaking recruitment, and I can see the merits. I am not sure a lot of firms would want to spend so much time on it, and also if there is only one candidate for a post and lots of firms after them, I am not sure a candidate would be overjoyed at the process! However, I cannot emphasise enough that if a firm provide good info to agents, the quality of candidates supplied can be much better (although the quantity can diminish).

Jonathan Fagan, MD of Ten-Percent Legal Recruitment - no.1 online UK legal recruitment agency - save time, skip the legal job boards and let us do the work - register online at www.ten-percent.co.uk/register.htm 
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