Interviewing and selecting the right people is a recruiter's greatest challenge - and it's the reason the job exists. Recruiters are comfortable talking about the organization's jobs or the work that needs to get done. The hard part is getting past the candidate's "interview façade" to determine not only that the person can do the job, but that they can be productive in the corporate culture. The key is how to effectively establish and maintain a working rapport with candidates to get to the "real person" inside. Creating a climate for the easy exchange of information is an essential skill for anyone involved in interviewing and selection. Two people have just met, are both under pressure, and are both trying to make the other person like them. They're both looking for the Click! There are so many factors conspiring against us in this pressure-cooker environment it's a wonder we ever hire anyone! And building rapport and finding common ground with different types of candidates is an added challenge. This session is designed to help increase your "click rate" and make you more comfortable in getting past the nerves and onto the critical task of hiring the people who will make or maintain your organization's success.

Connecting With Candidates is an interactive session focused on the critical first minutes of the interview. But don't just build rapport with candidates at the beginning of the interview; find ways to connect with candidates throughout the interview as well as after. Through a series of exercises explore:

• What’s your Approachability IQ?
• Are you an active listener?
• The five stages of the interview
• Icebreakers and icebergs
• Clicking with different types of candidates
  • Students
  • Older candidates
  • Senior executives
  • Re-entries
  • Transitioners
• Maintaining the connection