A Recruiter Screening vs. a Hiring Manager Interview
Congratulations! Someone saw your resume and wants to take it to the next step in the hiring process. A lot of companies take the process of a recruiter screening first and then an interview with the Hiring Manager. Essentially, these are two different kinds of interviews to figure out if you’re the right person for the job. Here’s the difference between recruiting interviews, direct hiring manager interviews, and how to prepare for both.
The Screening Interview
A screening interview is a phone call or in-person meeting organized by a recruiter to evaluate a job candidate’s qualifications. It is typically the first interview in the hiring process. During a screening interview, the recruiter will provide a brief description of the job, find out your qualifications, ask you about experiences you’ve had in your job history, answer your questions about the company, and make sure you fit the culture of the company.
Tips for The Screening Interview
Be honest and don’t embellish your employment history or accomplishments. They will ask questions like “What is your greatest strength and weakness?” Do not try to be cute with your answers. Saying “My greatest weakness is that I’m over dedicated to my career,” is a red flag. Let them know what you are working on to improve and how you’ve adapted to situations when you did not have that skill set yet.
The Next Step
After the screening interview, the recruiter shares the candidate’s qualifications with the hiring manager. The recruiter then makes recommendations to the Hiring Manager about which potential employees fit best. If the recruiter’s recommendation of you goes through, expect to have them schedule the next interview with the hiring manager.
The Hiring Manager Interview
The Hiring Manager is the direct representation of the company, and potentially your new boss or the head of HR. Sometimes this interview can even have two or three representatives from the company. This could include the head of the department and your potential direct supervisor. What makes this interview different is that they won’t ask general questions, but they will want to know your specific skills for the position. Expect a lot of questions about technology experience, specific responsibilities from previous jobs, and your past achievements within this career field.
Tips for the Hiring Interview
Make sure you visit the company’s website. There you will see the type of culture they are trying to cultivate. You might se projects they were attached to, current goals and vision, and even see the major players of the team. Also, have questions prepared as well. Ask about the culture and how the company has seen growth over the past years. Being interested in them will in turn make you a more interesting candidate.
Final Steps
If you get to the second interview, that means it’s probably down to just you a couple other potential employees. To stand out, make sure you send a “thank you email” or “thank you card” to the hiring manager. Gratitude will get you more places not just in the workforce, but life as well.