In our recruiting practice, we sit on the receiving end of the post-interview debrief. After the panel meets and the hiring manager calls us back, we hear what was actually said in the room. And in our experience, there are four primary reasons why qualified candidates are consistently getting interviews but no offers.

I will start by stating that hiring managers rarely tell a candidate why they didn’t extend the offer. Unfortunately, the candidate is left guessing as to why…so when a strong clinical research professional racks up four, five, six interviews without an offer, they reach for the worst explanation available: it must be me.

Most of the time, it isn’t.

It is usually one of four patterns we see over and over again across our pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and CRO clients.

Pattern One: Storytelling

The most common debrief comment we hear is some version of, “He seemed qualified, but I never got a clear example of him actually doing the work.” Behavioral interviews are won and lost on specific stories. When a candidate answers a “tell me about a time” question with a hypothetical (“I would handle it this way…”), or with generalities, the interviewer can’t picture the candidate doing the job.

The net? They can’t defend a hire decision when they can’t picture the candidate performing in the role.

The fix? Craft and practice elevator pitches. We show you how in these posts and real podcast examples.

Pattern Two: Enthusiasm for the Specific Role

This one sounds like, “She was good, but I don’t think she really wants this job.” The candidate may have wanted the job badly. But if every answer could have been delivered to any sponsor or CRO in the industry, the hiring manager hears interest in a job, not interest in this one.

And this is especially important in a final interview (or even an advanced round interview). The manager is choosing the person who already feels like part of the team. Generic enthusiasm reads as risk….and this is why ‘anything with a paycheck‘ backfires for candidates.

Every hiring manager wants to believe that you have hand-selected their particular position. If you can’t show your passion for this particular role, your candidacy won’t be taken as seriously.

Pattern Three: Alignment to the Employer’s Actual Problem

“The skills are there, but I’m not sure he has solved our version of this problem.” Clinical research experience doesn’t translate itself. A CRA moving in-house, a functional expert pivoting into CRO leadership, a Site Manager moving into a sponsor role…the experience is real, but the candidate hasn’t done the work of connecting it to the role in front of them.

The interviewer is left to do that work, and most won’t. The biggest mistake most mid-career job seekers make is to sell their history instead of their skills. You have to get detailed, get specific, and become personal.

Pattern Four: Perceived Risk

This is the quietest reason and the most common in advanced rounds. The candidate is competent, but not the easiest hire to defend internally. Hiring teams don’t only choose the most qualified person on paper. They choose the person who feels lowest-risk: easiest to manage, easiest to onboard, least likely to create friction.

A technically excellent candidate who shows any tension around feedback, coachability, or fit will lose to a slightly less polished candidate who feels safer.

Some Final Thoughts

If you are a clinical research professional reading this and feeling the sting of recognition…that is useful information. Each pattern has a repair, and the repair starts with naming which pattern is yours. We offer support for that!

And if you are a hiring team frustrated by the search for a high-quality clinical research candidate, we see the trends and continually update our recruitment process to adapt and refine. That is most of the value of working with a niche firm: we sit in both rooms, hear both sides, and translate. Reach out to find out how we can work together.

The post Why You Are Getting Interviews But No Offers appeared first on craresources.

LinkedIn Groups are one of the most effective tools on LinkedIn for building a professional network, sharing expertise, and discovering new career opportunities. When used strategically, they can help you enhance your personal brand. These groups also afford the ability to connect with industry leaders and stay informed about trends in your field.

According to LinkedIn, active engagement in LinkedIn Groups can improve your visibility, demonstrate thought leadership, and expand your network within your target industries. If you have not yet joined relevant LinkedIn Groups, you may be missing valuable opportunities to grow your career.

Why LinkedIn Groups Are Valuable

LinkedIn Groups function as specialized professional communities. Members share information, exchange ideas, and help one another achieve career goals. Participating in discussions, asking insightful questions, and providing helpful resources can establish you as a trusted professional in your field.

Career development experts, including those at the Society for Human Resource Management, note that active involvement in LinkedIn Groups can lead to concrete opportunities, such as new job offers, speaking engagements, and collaborative projects.

At craresources, we operate our own LinkedIn Group dedicated to the clinical research industry. Members gain access to job search strategies, industry news, and current position openings while engaging with like-minded professionals.

How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Groups Experience

You can customize your notification settings for each LinkedIn Group to ensure you stay informed without overwhelming your inbox. Here is how:

• Access Your LinkedIn Group Settings
• Open the LinkedIn Group homepage you belong to.
• Click the ellipses (…) menu in the upper right corner.
• Select “Update Your Settings”.
• Adjust your Messaging preferences (we recommend toggling ‘Yes’ to allow group members to message you).
• Adjust Communication preferences by selecting the type and frequency of notifications you receive.

Best Practices for Engaging in LinkedIn Groups

To get real value from LinkedIn Groups, you should do more than simply join. Consistent, high-quality participation is essential.

• Be Active: Comment, post, and share relevant resources regularly.
• Add Genuine Value: Avoid overt self-promotion and focus on sharing expertise that benefits the group’s members.
• Build Relationships: Connect with individuals who share similar professional interests and goals.
• Follow Group Rules: Professional etiquette ensures a positive and productive group experience.

Final Thoughts

Whether you want to exchange ideas, discover job opportunities, or grow your professional brand, LinkedIn Groups are powerful tools that, when optimized correctly, can accelerate your career growth.

At craresources, we encourage members to explore the functionalities of LinkedIn Groups, adjust their settings for a personalized experience, and actively contribute to discussions. When used strategically, LinkedIn Groups can help you position yourself as a thought leader, keep you informed about your industry, and expand your network far beyond your immediate connections.

Need some help setting up your LinkedIn Profile or establishing your personal brand? Reach out; we are here to support you.

The post How to Get the Most from LinkedIn Groups appeared first on craresources.

With over 1.1 billion members worldwide in 2025, LinkedIn has evolved far beyond its origins as a basic professional networking site. Today, it stands as a dynamic talent marketplace, offering a robust suite of sourcing tools, AI-driven matching algorithms, and advanced engagement channels. For hiring managers and talent acquisition professionals, true mastery of LinkedIn as a recruitment platform is no longer just about knowing how to use a platform. It is about strategically navigating and leveraging the most influential ecosystem for finding, engaging, and hiring top talent in the digital era. Here is how to use LinkedIn for recruitment effectively, with the latest best practices and features.

Build and Optimize Your Employer Brand

LinkedIn is a great platform for attracting top talent. High-quality candidates hand-select opportunities that align with their career goals. Therefore, to attract quality candidates and boost credibility, companies need to have an engaging company page that shares authentic content about the company culture. It should also clearly communicate flagship products, innovative projects, and share industry insights.

Define the Ideal Candidate Profile

Collaborate closely with internal HR staff, operational managers, and recruiters to define the specific skills, experience, and cultural attributes needed for each role.

You can also use LinkedIn’s data-driven insights to benchmark roles and identify the competencies that will drive success in your organization.

Use Advanced Search and AI Tools

LinkedIn has advanced search filters and Boolean operators to target candidates by title, skills, location, and more. AI-powered recommendations will surface candidates based on keywords as well as inferred relationships between skills and roles.

You will also be able to prioritize candidates with a higher likelihood of interest, as indicated by LinkedIn’s AI-driven engagement metrics. Sounds too good to be true? Metrics show it takes less than 5 minutes on average to find and engage with a qualified candidate on LinkedIn Recruiter. And when you have found candidates that you would like to engage, LinkedIn has AI-assisted messaging that will draft personalized outreach messages to increase response rates and save time.

Post and Promote Jobs Strategically

LinkedIn’s AI tools help craft compelling, keyword-rich job descriptions that maximize visibility and attract qualified applicants. Additionally, the platform makes it simple for candidates to apply, reducing friction and thus increasing application rates.

And if your application rates are lower than desired, you can engage sponsored job posts. Promoting job openings will reach a broader and more targeted audience.

Leverage Your Network and Employee Connections

Encourage employees to share job postings and refer candidates, creating warm introduction pathways that significantly outperform cold outreach. You can also engage with passive candidates by building relationships and keeping your talent pipeline active.

Analyze and Refine Your Recruitment Funnel

LinkedIn enables you to monitor conversion rates at every stage from profile views to replies, interviews, and hires. You can then use these insights to adapt your approach based on real-time analytics and feedback to optimize recruitment outcomes by refining targeting, messaging, and engagement strategies.

In Conclusion

By following these steps on how to use LinkedIn for recruitment, hiring managers can attract, engage, and hire top talent faster and more efficiently than ever before. The integration of AI, strategic networking, and continuous optimization makes LinkedIn the cornerstone of modern recruitment.

The post How to Use LinkedIn for Recruitment appeared first on craresources.

Most of our clients limit their recruitment strategy to a) posting the position and b) contacting us. 

When are these two steps enough? And when will they fall short when it comes to attracting top talent? 

While a simple definition of a recruitment strategy is a plan for identifying and hiring high-quality resources for your open positions, it is important to understand an effective strategy goes well beyond that. 

An effective recruitment strategy starts with a review of your company’s online reputation and perceived brand.  

Analyze Your Company’s Online Reputation

In today’s digital age, it is easy for employees to broadcast negative comments or write damaging reviews on your company. These types of websites (think Glassdoor and other similar forums) have changed how many people search for positions. 

I recommend you have a standard schedule and process to search for comments or reviews on your company—just like a potential candidate would. When you find online feedback, respond appropriately. 

Not defensively. Appropriately. Answer the reviews in a professional and problem-solving way, showing that you, as a company, are open to continual feedback and constant improvement. 

Alternatively, consider fostering a campaign to encourage your team members to share behind-the-scenes content about the company to demonstrate that it’s a desirable place to work. You can do this by publicly recognizing team members for their accomplishments. For example, post a ‘team member of the month’ on LinkedIn, giving public kudos for their work effort. You can highlight awards, new certifications, completion of degrees, or other achievements. Other team members will jump into the celebration and this positivity will draw applicants to your company.

You can also consider adopting hashtags. L’Oreal and its global employees use hashtags like #lifeatloreal, #meettheinnovators, and #lorealproud on Instagram to paint a picture of what it’s like to work there.

Fine Tune your Company’s Brand

Your company’s brand should be positioned to attract talent as well as clients. Employer branding is a key part of your overall recruitment strategy as it will impact candidates’ perception of you as a potential employer. When developing a brand to attract high-quality talent, consider questions such as: 

• Why would someone want to work for this company?
• What diversity and inclusion goals does the company have?
• What percentage of your current employees would recommend your company as a great place to work?
• What perks, rewards and benefits does the company offer to their team members in exchange for strong performance? 

The answers to these questions should align with the business’s mission, vision, culture, and philosophy. Once you have answers to these questions, check that your business’s “about” page, social media profiles, and advertisements align with these details.

Another great way to enhance your employer brand is to post content that shows your company is actively engaged in activities that reflect the company’s values. For example, if your company supports a specific charity or cause, share photos or videos of a recent campaign that your organization spearheaded. 

Diversify Your Hiring Strategies

It can be challenging to fill highly skilled roles; especially when the roles require specific degrees, licensure, or specialized experiences. By diversifying your hiring strategies, you can reach a broader group of jobseekers while enjoying multiple benefits:

• A larger candidate pool enables you to select from an increased number of applicants who meet your requirements. 
• More choices in qualified candidates means a shortened hiring cycle.
• You will experience an increased company awareness which will expand to potential clients as well as prospective candidates. 
• A shorter recruitment lifecycle will reduce hiring costs. And when you have more high-quality candidates to choose from, you don’t have to settle and you can reduce your attrition rates. 

Here are some approaches that you should consider adding to your recruitment strategy. 

Create captivating job descriptions.

Your job descriptions should speak to the company’s brand. They should be professional but show the company’s culture and personality. Writing a unique yet thorough job description is an important step in your recruitment strategy. 

When drafting your job descriptions: 

Pay particular attention to titles. 

Some experts will tell you to make titles as specific as possible. But in our industry, titles aren’t consistent across companies, so being too specific may limit your candidate pool. 

On the other hand, you should consider what your ideal candidate is searching for. In this case, the more accurate your title, the more effective you’ll be in piquing the interest of quality job seekers.

So use your judgment, being sure to captivate the function of the position in your title. 

Sell the position in the opening summary.

When writing the position’s summary, consider the primary reasons someone is actively or passively looking for a new position (outside of being unemployed, of course).  

Does the position offer growth potential? Sell it. Is the company stable and well-recognized in the industry? Sell it. Are the team members collaborative, creative, and innovative? Sell it. Provide a summary that will excite job seekers about the position, team, and company. 

Ensure your Job Description is thorough.

While no state or federal laws require you to have a job description, know that when you do provide one, there are multiple legal requirements to consider. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) advocates that every job description must cover a complete list of essential functions. Be sure to outline the required hard and soft skills and always include the role’s core responsibilities. I also like to explain how the position fits into the organization. 

The goal is to give potential candidates enough information for them to visualize themselves in the role. 

Don’t underestimate social media. 

I think it is smart to leverage social media to source talent, advertise jobs, and communicate with potential candidates. Our firm experiences great success in finding quality talent on LinkedIn. And the plus is that we can build a network of exceptional professionals who will quickly respond to future job posts. 

Note that the ‘network’ term is key. Recruiting through LinkedIn has enabled us to facilitate two-way conversations with potential candidates. We can share postings with our entire network and often our network will refer colleagues they know will be a perfect fit. 

Other industries strongly leverage platforms such as Facebook and X. But before you start posting job descriptions on social media, make sure your company’s presence on relevant social media platforms properly represents your brand. 

Implement an employee referral program. 

Ask your current team members who they know that may be a perfect fit. There are several reasons this is a terrific idea:  

• Your team members will appreciate being engaged. Respecting their recommendations is a terrific way to empower them to influence the team’s direction. 
• Employees hired through a referral program tend to stay at the company longer, thus reducing your attrition rate. 
• Internal referrals will reduce recruiting costs by eliminating the need to advertise the position or pay a recruiting fee. 
• When your employees reach out to their network, your brand gets boosted, which means more candidates and clients will become aware of your company. 

Consider offering a finder’s fee for employee referrals. You can even make it fun by setting up a contest so more employees become excited about providing referrals. 

Revisit previous “not the right fit” candidates.

When you treat applicants well by continually providing status throughout the process, you build a fan base of candidates. And when you respect them enough to reject them honestly and gracefully, you can easily contact them for future positions. 

After all, just because an applicant wasn’t the right fit for a past position doesn’t mean they aren’t a perfect fit for a current job opening.

It is smart to capture applicant details so that you can compile a database of candidates from past job openings. You should also add notes from past interviews. You can then search through this talent pool to find candidates who are qualified for your current roles, even if they weren’t a good fit in the past.

Engage passive candidates.

Your recruiting strategy should include searching for actively looking candidates as well as passively searching candidates.  Passive candidates are those who are currently employed and therefore not actively in the job market.  However, they can be your dream hires. 

Why? 

Because they don’t need a new job. They will decide to work for you because they see the true benefits of the position and/or company. And, of course, this is what you want!  When a candidate chooses your opportunity because it aligns with their career objectives, it is a win for all involved. 

When Should You Review Your Recruitment Strategy?

Always. Strategically, you want to appeal to top talent the same way you attract and captivate new business. 

Analyze how your company differentiates from its competitors. Treat the applicants with respect, ensuring they have a positive experience. Tweak the recruitment process as necessary while staying true to your company’s vision, mission, and goals. 

And reach out to craresources if you need help. We can help you create or improve your current recruitment strategy.

The post What is your CRA Recruitment Strategy? appeared first on craresources.

Diploma mills have been in operation for decades. Just last December, a story reported that non-accredited Florida nursing schools sold 7,600 fake diplomas. Defendants linked to the Palm Beach School of Nursing participated in a scheme to sell phony academic credentials so that individuals could apply for a nursing license without completing required clinical instruction and coursework.

Another jarring story broke several years ago when CBS outed physicians holding fake degrees from Corllins University, a known diploma mill.

Imagine your mother or child being treated by someone who purchased an MD or nursing degree instead of earning it! 

The Trend of Fake Degrees

While the above reports are frightening, they represent an ongoing trend. Unfortunately, it is easy for individuals to represent they have a degree when they don’t. It is fast and relatively inexpensive for individuals to purchase a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate from diploma mills. Diploma mill applicants are not required to complete coursework, and while some diploma mills require the individual to complete a quick “life experience” survey, the only firm requirement to obtain a degree is to pay the fee. 

Havocscope is an online organization that monitors black market products and activities, and they report that selling fake diplomas as a ‘product’ is currently a 1 Billion dollar industry! They also state that bachelor’s and master’s diplomas can be purchased for around $500. And according to John Bear and former FBI agent Allen Ezel in “Degree Mills: The Billion-Dollar Industry that has Sold Over a Million Fake Diplomas”, it is estimated that more than 50% of individuals claiming to have earned a PhD purchased a fake degree from a diploma mill.

The most frightening aspect of someone falsifying their education is that a 3rd Party Background check may not identify degrees from Diploma Mills. 

What are Diploma Mills?

Diploma Mills operate without supervision from a state or authoritative agency, therefore they do not meet educational standards. Some of these institutions will claim accreditation from non-recognized agencies to make them appear valid. However, don’t let an ‘accreditation’ fool you as there are hundreds of fake accreditation agencies, which makes it more difficult to tell which educational institutions are real.  

Get Educated is currently tracking more than 300 active diploma mills. The FBI established a dynamic Wikipedia site that tracks over 400 Diploma Mills with another 300+ websites offering counterfeit diplomas.

Many diploma mills look authentic because most of them have a professional-looking website. They also have staff who answer phones and verify the Job Seeker “earned” the degree listed on his/her resume, making it virtually impossible for a 3rd Party Background check to identify the degree is fake. Some of these diploma mills even have online databases where you can enter the Job Seeker’s name and instantly “validate” the degree purchased.

How Do You Spot A Fraudulent School Or Degree?

Accreditation is important. 

Valid educational institutions should have proper accreditation. For example, in the US, when a job description requires a degree, the unspoken requirement is that you have obtained a degree from an accredited university.  

Said differently, a bachelor’s from a non-accredited university (or a university accredited by a fake accreditation agency) will not qualify you for a position that requires a bachelor’s degree. In the US, most often the accreditation expected will be from a regional agency. The six regional accreditation boards in the US are:

• • MSA – Middle States Association of Colleges & Schools
  • NASC – Northwest Commission on Colleges & Universities
  • NCA – North Central Association of Colleges & Schools
  • NEASC – New England Association of Schools & Colleges
  • SACS – Southern Association of Colleges & Schools
  • WASC – Western Association of Schools & Colleges

You may also see educational institutions with national accreditation, but these aren’t viewed to be as rigorous as the regional accreditation agencies. The three most common national accreditation agencies are: 

• • Distance Education & Training Council (DETC)
  • Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges & Schools (ACICS)
  • Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)

There are also specialty accreditation agencies for theology training programs and careers governed by state licensing boards. 

While it is good advice to be familiar with the types of accreditations available, the easiest way to tell if a US-based educational institution is accredited is to contact the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the US Department of Education (USDE). We use the US Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP) to validate someone’s US Degree.

Confirm the educational institution offers the degree. 

Once you confirm the school is accredited by a valid accreditation agency, verify that the degree is offered by the institution. For example, a CRA candidate listed a Bachelor’s in Chemistry from a small school I hadn’t heard of. After confirming the school was accredited on the DAPIP site, a quick phone call confirmed the school doesn’t offer a Bachelor’s in Chemistry. 

Demand Clarity

The Government Accountability Office reports that their: “ability to identify degrees from unaccredited schools is limited by several factors. First, diploma mills frequently use names similar to those used by accredited schools, which often allows the diploma mills to be mistaken for accredited schools. For example, Hamilton University of Evanston, Wyoming, which is not accredited by an accrediting body recognized by ED, has a name similar to Hamilton College, a fully accredited school in Clinton, New York. Moreover, federal agencies told us that employee records may contain incomplete or misspelled school names without addresses. Thus, an employee’s records may reflect a bachelor’s degree from Hamilton, but the records do not indicate whether the degree is from Hamilton University, the unaccredited school, or Hamilton College, the accredited institution.”

Always ask for additional information when a candidate lists an institution that has a similar name to others. For example, there are over twenty valid institutions with ‘Cambridge’ in the name, but according to the FBI’s listing of Diploma Mills, there are three that are known to be fraudulent. 

You also want to demand clarity when a candidate lists an educational institution but no degree, a degree without a year of graduation, or a degree without a specific area of study. Examples include:

• • Faber College; 1989 – 1992 (what degree?)
  • Faber College, BS Chemistry (what year?)
  • Faber College, Bachelors of Science; 1992 (BS in what?)

Other things to watch for:

Always compare degrees listed on the Job Seeker’s Social Media profiles to what they have stated on their resumes. You should also compare older resumes to newer ones. We often see where the candidate will change their degree in order to appear more competitive. 

International degrees can be tricky. Unfortunately, no single authority oversees the recognition of foreign degrees in the US. And while we have several clients who accept foreign degrees, we have just as many who don’t.

While I would NOT recommend you refuse candidates based on the origin of their degrees, I do advise that you be extra diligent when validating degrees obtained in other countries. 

Resources to Help Identify Diploma Mills

The key is to know what to look for and what questions to ask to validate the Job Seeker’s education. Here is a listing of the resources referred to in this article: 

• • US Department of Education – Diploma Mills and Accreditation Resources and Publications. 
  • The US Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP)
  • Wikipedia’s list of unaccredited institutions of higher education.
  • Get Educated’s current list of active diploma mills.
  • Wikipedia’s list of unrecognized higher education accreditation organizations.

Quick Note About Certifications

Many clients and candidates ask about certifications. I am a fan. But be careful because there are many fake organizations offering certifications. I ran across one the other day that was charging three times as much as an industry-known certification from the ACRP, SOCRA, or IAOCR…and they didn’t even define the CRA role correctly. 

It is smart to obtain an industry certification or accreditation but stick with reputable organizations. 

Need Help?

Reach out to craresources. We are happy to help where we can!

The post The Rise of Diploma Mills and Fake Degrees appeared first on craresources.

I feel most of our clients undervalue the importance of job descriptions. Most hiring managers view them as an advertisement…and since it takes a lot of effort to craft one, why invest the time? Especially since there are no state or federal requirements to provide job descriptions for most positions. 

While a clear and detailed employment post can help attract high-quality candidates, job descriptions serve a much larger purpose within your organization. When written properly, they can ‘save your bacon’ when it comes to ensuring compliance with local and federal employment laws. They can also be useful as an interview tool, setting employee expectations as they transition into their new role, gauging employee performance, and offering protection from wrongful termination suits. 

For this week’s podcast, we team up with one of our favorite HR Professionals, Ruth Kelly. Ruth provides a wealth of knowledge surrounding the benefits of a well-written job description. She outlines the difference between an internal job description and a job post and then provides guidance on how to write job descriptions that will keep you compliant. 

Still not interested in investing the time to create a job description? Contact us – we are happy to do it for you!

Listen to Secrets of a CRA Recruiter on:

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The post Podcast: Why Create Job Descriptions? appeared first on craresources.

“Angela, you know we don’t have a CRA job description,” my client said.  “Just find me several great CRAs…you know what to look for.”

She had a point. I and my team had provided CRAs to her for over a decade. So yes, I knew exactly what specific skills and qualities she needed in her next CRAs. However, like many hiring managers, she only saw the job description as something that needed to be created to advertise the open position. 

But the value of a well-written CRA Job Description goes well beyond using it as an advertisement for new talent.

The Benefits of a Well-Written CRA Job Description

Job Descriptions Will Save Time

Many companies use job descriptions as bait. These hiring teams operate on the assumption that receiving more candidates is better. After all, having more candidates to choose from means you have a better chance of hiring a great-quality team member.  

Right? 

I disagree. If your CRA job descriptions are vague or confusing, you will be leafing through hundreds of resumes submitted by underqualified individuals instead of attracting applicants who meet your desired prerequisites and qualifications.

Well-written job specs should be clear in terms of your firm requirements. For example, instead of stating “Must have previous experience as a CRA with a Sponsor”, state “A minimum of three years’ experience as a Field CRA with a Sponsor or CRO is required.” 

Ensuring your requirements are concise and measurable will a) keep a large percentage of underqualified candidates from applying, b) enable you and your sourcing team to reject underqualified candidates objectively, and c) help you quickly identify the top candidates you would like to progress. 

Job Descriptions Can Save Money and Reduce Attrition

Are you experiencing a higher-than-desired attrition rate in a particular role? Consider examining the role’s job description. If your CRA job description doesn’t specifically outline the actual duties and responsibilities of the position, the person you hire is highly likely to leave. 

Why? Because high-quality CRAs know exactly what they are looking for. These great candidates will apply to your job posting because something in that job description resonates with them. And if your new team members aren’t experiencing what they believe they signed up for, they will not stay. 

The net is this: if your job description isn’t accurate, you will find yourself repeating the process of advertising, interviewing, and training another new employee.

Job Descriptions Enable a Stronger Screening Process

A well-written CRA job description can be (and should be) transformed into an interview template that thoroughly and objectively captures the data needed to make an informed hiring decision. 

Use it to conduct prescreening. 

Hiring teams will typically perform a prescreening assessment before progressing a candidate to an interview. The most effective prescreening methodology is done by using the job description to create a simple checklist of items that can be objectively answered yes or no and then comparing that checklist to the candidate’s resume. Some examples of yes/no questions: “Does the candidate hold a Bachelor’s in a Life Sciences field?” or “Has the applicant gained at least three years’ experience as a CRA for a sponsor?” 

Because the prescreening step is shorter and less comprehensive, less skilled team members can perform the task, thus saving the primary interviewers’ time. This step also shortlists candidates who meet most or all of the requirements outlined in the job description. And of course, this means interviewers will only spend their quality time interviewing candidates who are a stronger fit.

Use it to create a behavioral interview template. 

The behavioral interviewing method is used to learn how a candidate has responded to previous situations. The theory is that the candidate’s past conduct is a strong predictor of their future performance in a similar and relevant scenario. In other words, behavioral interviews provide hiring managers with an idea of how well a candidate should perform the tasks of the role. 

The Job Responsibilities section of a CRA job description can easily transform into a behavioral interview template. This is important for hiring managers because you can dig into scenarios that directly relate to your current hiring needs. Here are a couple of examples: 

• If the job responsibility states: “Assist with the development of study manuals, CRFs, monitoring standards, site study tools, and other study materials as required”
  • Consider translating it to this question: What experience do you have in the development of study manuals, CRFs, or other related study materials? 
  • It could also translate to: What study materials have you developed to support yourself or peers on a project? 
• If the job responsibility states: “Develop and implement site recruitment, selection, and initiation plan”
  • Consider translating it to this question: Describe where you have developed and implemented a site recruitment plan. What were your challenges?
  • It could also translate to: Tell me about a time when you helped to select and initiate sites for an upcoming project. What was your role?

Job Descriptions Keep You And the Candidate Compliant

Multiple state and federal laws surround the practice of hiring and firing employees. Creating a job description that satisfies legal requirements protects your organization from potential hiring issues. 

Additionally, job descriptions that clearly outline essential duties will help applicants understand what you expect from them once hired. It can provide clarity on responsibilities as well as provide a framework to evaluate the new team member’s performance. Alternatively, it can help identify areas where additional training may be needed if the new team member isn’t meeting expectations. 

How to Write a Great Job Description

Before writing the job description, take the opportunity to assess the vacant position. Was the position functioning ideally or as it was intended to function? Think about what the job would look like with the optimal candidate and redesign the position as required.  Here are some tips to make your job description both superior and effective.

Highlight the Company

A well-crafted job description will always provide a short overview of the company. Many job seekers want to work with companies that represent a cause or are involved in their community. Therefore, be sure to outline the company’s mission or other traits that give potential applicants an idea of what it will be like to work with your team. 

Many hiring managers also choose to include vital statistics, such as the company’s current size and projected growth. The goal is to provide potential candidates with a better understanding of where the company is headed.

Include the Job Title, Role Within the Organization, and Working Relationships

While providing the official name of the position is important, providing information regarding the department or team will make the position seem more desirable. You should also explain how the position ties into the overall goals of the company, as well as who the candidate will be working with. 

Here is an example: As a Senior Clinical Research Associate (CRA) within our Thyroid Cancer Division, you will work closely with our clinical operations team to create a cure for this rare cancer. The Senior CRA reports to the Global Clinical Trial Manager and will work arm-in-arm with other Senior CRAs across North America.

Outline the Main Job Duties and Responsibilities

As discussed above, the essential duties of the role must be as clear and concise as possible. High-quality candidates are less likely to apply to a generic job description but are attracted to positions that align with their career goals. 

Which is what you want. 

This section will outline the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities of the job. Note that you will create your behavioral interview template from this section.  

List Required and Preferred Qualifications

Directly following the job duties and responsibilities section should be the prerequisite and requirements section. This section includes the years of experience, prerequisite positions held, necessary skill sets, degrees earned, and any certifications or memberships candidates should have. 

We recommend you have two qualification sections – one for required qualifications and one for preferred or highly desirable qualifications.  

One thing to note – remember that ‘location’ is a requirement. If you require that someone is able/willing to travel into an office or be available during certain business hours, be sure to add that as a firm requirement here. 

Compensation

We are seeing fewer companies list their compensation range but I recommend you include it. Listing the salary range and relevant benefits will help eliminate those candidates outside of your budget. 

If the position is an unpaid internship, be sure that it meets government labor requirements.

Special Working Conditions

Examples of special working conditions include odd hours, on-call responsibilities, and other abnormal tasks or physical duties. If special working conditions exist, they should be made known from the beginning. Putting these out in the open will ensure that the candidates who apply are serious about the position regardless of working conditions they might not be used to. 

Include Information That Will Make the Position More Attractive

Last but not least, include information that will make the position even more attractive to potential applicants. This section may offer information on benefits, training, travel, and advancement opportunities. This is also a great opportunity to show some extra perks of working for your company, such as casual dress, the ability to work remotely, and any discounts employees may receive on company or affiliate products. 

You can also use this section to describe your ideal candidate.  

Don’t Forget To Provide Application Instructions

Always include application instructions. Not only will these instructions serve their obvious purpose, but you can then see who has the ability (or inability, per se) to follow directions.  

It can be a frustrating and challenging task to replace a team member, but writing an effective and attractive job description is the first step in finding high-quality candidates. Have questions or need support? Let craresources help you with your CRA hiring needs. And yes, I will gladly write your Job Description for you. 

The post The Value of a Well-Written CRA Job Description appeared first on craresources.

As we continue the discussion on how to identify fake job applicants and applicants representing a fake background, I am constantly asked, “But why not just call and verify past employment?” Seems like a reasonable question, doesn’t it?

Many Clinical Operations Managers who are aware of the candidate fraudulence epidemic feel they are protected because their company does background checks. I agree that you should do background checks. But conducting background checks and employment verifications isn’t always going to protect you from candidates who present a fake background or job history. 

Here’s why…

The Existence of Non-Existent Fake Companies

Never assume the companies listed on candidate resumes are real businesses. And be aware that these ‘fake companies’ have folks who will answer the phone and “verify” employment. We first noticed this trend in 2010 when candidates from certain “companies” consistently failed our competency assessments. As we dug deeper, we realized the companies didn’t exist and that the candidates were fake job applicants who were using these bogus companies to represent monitoring experience they didn’t have.

To date, we have identified 47 of these phony companies…with an additional 119 classified as highly suspicious. The trend of candidates using fake companies on their resumes is one of the most elusive and alarming trends we have seen.  

Why?

Because it is sometimes hard to identify that a company is fake (which is why we have so many categorized as highly suspicious). These shell companies have websites, and the individuals who establish these counterfeit companies trick Google into assigning locations to them. Business Insider first reported on this issue in 2015, not only confirming what we were already seeing in our industry but also blowing the whistle on an organization that admits to creating hundreds of phony companies.  

And don’t underestimate how committed these fraudsters are. Not only do they have staff members who answer phones to “verify” employment, but for an additional fee, they will provide positive references from “past supervisors”.

How to determine if a company is real:

It is easier to confirm that a company is real than it is to prove it is fake. However, there are specific steps you can follow that will provide insight into a company’s validity.  

Check State Registrars.

As a rule, if you have never heard of a company, you should search for its registration. If a company has legitimately been organized, it will be listed on the appropriate state’s registry. However, realize that companies do not always have to register their business where the business resides. For example, our company’s headquarters is in Florida, therefore, our business is registered with the state of Florida and can be found on Florida’s Division of Corporations site. But we were once registered in Georgia and would also be qualified to register in the state of Delaware. 

So, while you want to start with the state where the company’s headquarters is located, you may have to broaden your search if you want to rule out fraud. 

This brings us to Manta and OpenCorporates.

If searching the Secretary of State or Divisions of Corporation site for the state where the company resides doesn’t yield results, consider using the Manta Business Directory. Manta scrapes each state’s corporation database and also allows companies to register with them directly. While not as reliable as the Secretary of State listings, it can be a good resource if you are unsure which state a company may be registered with.

One of my personal favorites is to use OpenCorporates.  Their database consists of filed corporations across the globe and is extremely accurate. However, if you use this resource often, you will be required to pay a membership fee. But if you hire CRAs, the fee is worth it. 

What isn’t likely to be found:

Fictitious Names and Trade Names can be difficult to trace. For example, while you can easily find our corporation name on our state’s corporation site, you won’t be able to find our trade name. This means that while trade names are required to be registered, they aren’t easily searchable like corporation names are. Much like single-member LLCs, they can be difficult to track down and even more difficult to prove as fraudulent. 

What happens if you can’t verify that the company is real?

If you are unable to verify the legitimacy of a company through a corporation search, you can certainly research its online activity. 

Start with a LinkedIn presence. While not all valid companies have LinkedIn, if the company does have a LinkedIn presence, you will be able to gain insight into its validity. Start by assessing how fleshed out the company’s profile is. Then, take a look at the individuals who are connected to it, along with their titles, etc. You should know that anyone can build a fake LinkedIn company page and have many people connect to it, but real people will be posting as well as sharing information about company milestones. LinkedIn companies also include an Insights tab that will show a history of employees connected to it.   

If the company is a sponsor claiming to conduct trials in the US, you can also check out clinicaltrials.gov. Just be aware that not all studies are required to be on this government site. You can also search for press releases, and check out other resources such as Crunchbase. 

We also keep a history of companies we can’t verify (note the 119 companies I referred to as ‘suspicious’ at the beginning of this section).  Let’s just say that trends will start to reveal themselves if you just track history. 

Even if the Company is Real, Be Diligent in Background and Reference Checks

I am finding more and more companies failing to conduct thorough reference and background checks. And here’s the problem…often, the operations managers don’t know these important steps are being skipped or side-stepped. 

If you are an operations manager, find out what the background and reference check processes are.  We provide some important items to consider in a different article, but here are a few important things to confirm.  

See if there is a financial threshold for background checks. 

I just spoke with someone last week who told me their HR would only pay for a ‘first level’ employment verification. Some of our larger industry CROs and Sponsors require a verbal employment verification, and background check companies will charge extra for that extra step. 

In this particular instance, my friend told me that she had gut churns when interviewing the candidate and was counting on the employment verification to either confirm or deny her suspicions. She didn’t know human resources wouldn’t conduct an employment verification if it required an extra charge. Unfortunately, sidestepping this employment verification resulted in a bad hire. She later found out that the individual had never worked with the large CRO represented on his resume.  

Being thorough in the background check would have avoided the situation.  

Find out if there is a limit to how much your company will spend on any aspect of the background check. Keep in mind that a thorough background check goes well beyond a criminal history and employment verification analysis. If there is a threshold set for any portion of the background check, either obtain permission to exceed that threshold or speak to your leadership about alternative methods of obtaining a thorough result. 

Always do both. 

Companies will often skip reference checks, but as noted above, background checks aren’t always effective. Because of our experience with fake job applicants, we actually put more stock in reference checks if done properly.

Especially when it comes to confirming the experience of contractors. Just know that background checks aren’t going to be effective in some instances, and reference checks aren’t effective in others. Do both, and you will increase your chances of confirming the candidate’s qualifications. 

Reference checks should always be verbal. 

Why? For two reasons. First, references can be easily falsified. Fake job applicants will go to great lengths to represent someone as a past clinical operations manager when they are really a sister, a wife, a friend, a colleague, or someone from their ‘fake company’ arrangement. 

Business emails can be spoofed, so even if the candidate is using an email from a well-known company domain, don’t assume it is valid. Create a reference template that includes open-ended questions that cover hard and soft skills. Then, verbally speak to each reference. Verify the candidate’s title, the dates they worked together, and the company where they worked together. Then, dig into the reference questions. Be sure to listen with your ears and with your gut. Pay attention to what they are saying as well as their pauses while also tuning into energy shifts. If you are ‘using your gut’ during these calls, you will be able to feel it if something is amiss.

This brings me to the second reason why you want to check references verbally. People are more likely to be forthcoming with the truth when in a verbal discussion versus responding to a questionnaire through email. When you ask a direct question, honest people will want to answer it. They may still pause, but they will still be more honest with their answers.  

Was the Company in Operation when the Candidate ‘Worked’ there?

I just had an applicant whose resume showed she was employed by a company two years before it was formed. We also consistently see folks state they worked for a company after it was no longer in business. Always make sure the candidate’s employment dates align with when the companies were active so that you can catch fake job applicants who claim they worked for a company before or after the company existed.

We have also seen a strong trend where candidates list multiple companies on their resumes that did exist but have been acquired or gone out of business. This act alone doesn’t necessarily mean fraudulence, but digging deeper to verify employment can be a challenge. And in some instances, impossible. 

In Conclusion

You are probably thinking that being thorough with background checks (especially employment verification) and references is a lot of work.

It is.

We analyze every candidate who crosses our threshold using the above steps. Every time. Being thorough in our approach is how we have been able to identify that approximately 60% of the candidates applying to our open positions are fake job applicants. This qualification process is time-consuming and can be overwhelming. But it is important because our practice of being thorough has enabled us to build history on candidates and identify fake companies. 

It takes time to identify those candidates who are valid. And while it isn’t always possible to prove that a candidate is fake (until it is too late), knowing who is ‘real’ and truly qualified is extremely important.

Make sure you and your leadership team are diligent because fake job applicants can pass a background check. If you see something that seems off and would like our advice, just let us know. We are here to help! 

The post Fake Job Applicants Can Pass a Background Check appeared first on craresources.

I recently answered a blog post from a CRA who wondered if she should become ACRP vs SOCRA certified. Her ultimate question was whether she should become certified at all.  It made me think of this story…

Our house’s main electrical panel box had suffered significant damage during the hurricane; I realized it was extremely dangerous. Not only did it need to be completely replaced but I knew we were on borrowed time…I felt my house was going to burst into flames at any moment.

We immediately contacted a certified electrician to arrange replacement of the service panel.

It never occurred to me to hire anyone but a certified electrician to do this work. After all, since the safety of my family is a priority, I felt that hiring someone who has demonstrated experience in the industry, knows state codes and regulations and takes safety seriously was a “no brainer”.

So it made me think…regardless of ACRP vs SOCRA, why do we rarely require our CRAs to be certified? Our firm supports several dozen sponsors and very rarely do these Hiring Managers require industry certifications such as the Association of Clinical Research Professionals’ Certified Clinical Research Associate (CCRA) or the Society of Clinical Research Associates’ Certified Clinical Research Professionals (CCRP).

Here are 5 reasons I believe you should consider hiring CRAs who hold industry certification:

You can easily validate someone’s certification

We have identified a frightening trend of individuals falsifying their education (our article on Identifying Fake CRAs by their Education will provide details on how to protect yourself). Certifications from reputable organizations such as ACRP and SOCRA are easily validated…meaning these certifications cannot be easily faked!

Proven Clinical Research knowledge and experience

To sit for a SOCRA or ACRP Certification exam, individuals have to be able to prove they have fully dedicated, recent experience as a Clinical Research Professional. This means that any professional you hire with an ACRP or SOCRA certification has hands-on working experience, thereby giving you confidence in that certified professional’s base knowledge.

Applied knowledge of Regulatory and GCP/ICH Guidelines

When you hire someone who is certified, you can feel confident that the individual has an internationally-accepted knowledge of the industry.

Better chance of “doing it right the first time”

ACRP has conducted an analysis which proves certification is linked to fewer protocol deviations as well as more favorable outcomes from regulatory audits.

Certified professionals are typically more committed to quality results

By hiring a certified professional, you are hiring someone who has invested in their career and therefore proven they have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely and ethically perform clinical research.

Just as it seemed to be a “no brainer” when it came to hiring a certified electrician to protect my family’s safety, in an industry where patient safety is paramount, I strongly encourage Hiring Managers to consider hiring more certified professionals. After all, ensuring patient safety, quality of data and regulatory compliance are the core principles of ethical, responsible clinical research.

But which to choose: ACRP vs SOCRA?

Is one industry certification better than the other? 

Both the ACRP and SOCRA certifications have a few similarities. Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements in terms of hours of professional experience. This ensures they have the technical skills to perform well on the test. SOCRA, as an example, requires at least two years of experience as a full-time clinical research professional, having gained this experience within the last five years.

Availability of the certification programs

The exams for ACRP and SOCRA certifications are available worldwide, meaning that candidates can receive their license from any corner of the world. However, both ACRP and SOCRA certifications require CRAs to engage in continuing education to maintain those credentials. This ensures the continuing competence of each certificate grantee, prompting them to uphold the professional standard expected in clinical research. 

Continually changing industry

Additionally, ACRP and SOCRA are constantly reviewing and updating their certification programs, meaning there is always new information to learn. And when CRAs stay abreast of new regulations, standards, and trends as a condition of their certification, the whole clinical research industry benefits. Informed and accredited CRAs are good CRAs, and ACRP and SOCRA help maintain high standards within the industry. 

craresources’ vote regarding ACRP vs SOCRA

However, in further digging into the ACRP vs SOCRA discussion, ACRP has a leg up on SOCRA in a few areas. While ACRP is open to members and non-members, SOCRA is more restrictive. Even though SOCRA limits who can enter their certification program, the results are not always stellar. ACRP is renowned for its targeted approach to instruction, ensuring that information is specific to job roles. This means that ACRP’s accredited CRAs are better able to perform their unique roles, and this expertise has been linked to more favorable outcomes from regulatory audits.

ACRP certifications have also been linked to fewer protocol deviations, suggesting that ACRP’s accredited CRAs better know the process. This knowledge and accuracy are essential because if a CRA deviates from the protocol, it can compromise the whole clinical trial, risk patient safety, and cost the sponsor a lot of resources in terms of time and money.

In conclusion

So, just as it seemed to be a “no brainer” when it came to hiring a certified electrician to protect my family’s safety, in an industry where patient safety is paramount, I strongly encourage Hiring Managers to consider hiring more certified professionals as ensuring patient safety, quality of data and regulatory compliance are the core principles of ethical, responsible clinical research. Whether you choose a CRA with an ACRP or SOCRA certification, an accredited clinical research associate will be better equipped to handle the job. With a more extensive knowledge of industry standards and regulations, accredited CRAs are more likely to help your study rather than harm it.  

One last thought…outside of the ACRP vs SOCRA discussion

Are there other educational or certification programs worth exploring?  There are many institutions offering clinical research graduate certificate programs; are they worth a consideration?

I won’t go on record to state that clinical research graduate certificates aren’t as valid as the ACRP and SOCRA credentials. What I will state is that a graduate certification in clinical research is simply evidence of education. Meaning, in no way does a clinical research graduate certificate confirm work experience.   

Our firm focuses on the CRA’s competency and we have found that CRAs with either ACRP or SOCRA certification are more likely to have stronger capabilities in terms of execution. To learn more about our commitment to CRAs, check out our website.

If you are looking for your next position, be sure to browse our job listings, which our team diligently updates.

The post Why You Should Consider Hiring Industry-Certified CRAs appeared first on craresources.

Why use an Interview Template?

Although often overlooked, using tools like an interview template is a critically important part of an effective CRA hiring process. It is also important to train your hiring managers on how to interview.

Having well-trained interviewers will protect your company from mistakes such as asking inappropriate questions that can lead to lawsuits due to unintentional discrimination. Additionally, using seasoned interviewers can mitigate errors when it comes to hiring a new team member. Why? Because the risk of overlooking a terrific candidate is just as real as hiring a fraudulent or poor-quality candidate. 

Obtaining better hires is the goal, as hiring the wrong candidate will cost you. According to ZipRecruiter, 41% of companies believe bad hires cost them over $25,000, while 25% put the price tag at over $50,000. And of course, this doesn’t consider the soft costs associated with the negative impact bad hires have on employee morale and customer satisfaction.

So, how do you build a training program for your hiring managers so they can be experts at conducting effective interviews? Here are some guidelines to building a successful training program. 

Helps Your Hiring Team Adhere to “The Rules”

The first agenda for your training program should be to ensure your interview team has a clear understanding of labor and employment laws. Be sure to train your hiring managers about protected classes and how they must be considered when interviewing. When building this portion of your training, make sure you consult federal EEO laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the American with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. It is also important to understand state employment laws, keeping in mind that the state you are most concerned with is the state where your future employee resides. 

Be sure to include the purpose of the laws, what actions by the hiring managers are considered unlawful or prohibited, and the penalties for violating these federal and/or state regulations. 

Drives Consistency in Results

I started using an interview template about 19 years ago and found it increased my interviewing efficiency tenfold.  There are many reasons to use an interview template but my primary reason is to ensure adherence to equality standards. 

While you want the interview to naturally evolve into a conversation, the main interview questions must be the same for everyone. 

“Ask the same questions of every applicant for the same job. By doing this, you can evaluate each candidate on the same questions and responses and reduce potential discrimination claims.” – Eugena Bellamy, Marketing & Sales Coordinator at StaffScapes, Inc.

Since deviating from using the same base interview questions can be the root of discrimination, following an interview template will keep you on track. Also, because each candidate is asked the same set of questions, when you have finished speaking to every candidate you are able to conduct an “apples to apples” comparison when reviewing your notes.

Provides Notes for Future Reference

And speaking of ‘reviewing your notes’, no matter how great your memory is, I challenge you to remember the details of every interview you have ever had.  An interview template will afford you a place to write notes and reactions as the candidate responds to the questions and will give you a tremendous reference later, (sometimes many days later) when you are deciding which candidate to move into the next qualification step.

How do you go about Building an Interview Template? 

Use your job description!  Task by task, qualification by qualification, build a template outlining the competency and soft skills required for the position. The template will guide you when it comes to learning what is necessary to make a ‘go/no-go’ decision for each CRA candidate. 

Other Items Your Hiring Team Should be Taught

Learn to be conscious of your body language

As an interviewer, you should learn how to be aware of and control your body language in order to conduct effective interviews. Candidates will be watching you during the interview and if you are not careful, they will take cues from you which may skew the interview results. Some things to consider:

• • Learn how to consistently show an impartial yet pleasant ‘poker face’ to the candidate.  This will set your candidates at ease which should result in more genuine responses.  Maintaining a ‘poker face’ will also keep you from accidentally leading them in their answers. 
  • Show you are engaged in the conversation by sitting up straight or leaning forward slightly. 
  • Maintain eye contact, while being careful not to stare.
  • Ensure your body language is open by not crossing your arms or legs. 
  • Occasionally echo the candidate, nod in agreement, or otherwise appropriately comment in order to show you are actively listening.

Learn to be conscious of and assess the candidate’s body language

Similarly, being able to read the candidate’s body language will help when it comes to interpreting important cues. Is the candidate maintaining eye contact? While some nervousness makes sense, is she unusually nervous or seems fidgety? Is it clear that the candidate is prepared for the interview? Does she seem genuine or do you feel she may be embellishing (or outright lying about) their experiences? 

Embrace and leverage the ‘awkward silence’  

This part of the training program should focus on the development of active listening skills. An interviewer who spends the majority of the interview talking about his own accomplishments and what it’s like to work for the company will rarely make a good hiring decision. Why? Because he hasn’t given the interviewee enough time to describe her skills and qualifications.  Said differently, the candidate should do most of the talking. Your job as the interviewer is to collect as much information about the candidate’s skills, qualities and goals as possible, and you can’t do that if you are doing all the talking. 

It is human nature to want to fill dead air during a conversation. However, a well trained interviewer understands that filling the awkward silence with small talk can be counterproductive to the goals of an effective interview. Interviewers must learn to properly use awkward silence as an interview tool, letting the candidate deal with the gap in conversation themselves.  

How the candidate deals with the awkward silence will tell you a lot about her. Did she start rambling, telling jokes or gossiping? Alternatively, did she shift to asking meaningful and thoughtful questions? I coach my candidates to ‘take control’ of the interview when there is a lull in conversation because how the candidate acts during the gaps between questions will tell you a lot about her ability to focus as well as her character. 

“Don’t talk too much. It’s human nature to want to fill the ‘dead air’ in a conversation, but one of the best ways to explore a candidate’s thinking is to resist the urge to fill that dead air and instead let them do so. When the human mind starts racing for things to talk about a lot of the filters get pushed aside, and that’s when you see what’s really behind the pre-planned answers.” – Rich Enos, CEO & Co-Founder of StudyPoint, Inc.

Train interviewers on recognizing their ‘Unconscious Bias’

Recognizing that everyone has biases is the first step in being able to put them aside so that you can focus strictly on the candidate’s qualifications.  Here are some examples of unconscious biases interviewers may have as well as their potential impacts:

First Impressions

How often is your first impression correct? Less than you think. Psychology Today estimates that first impressions are only thirty percent accurate! Allowing yourself to quickly draw an initial judgment of a candidate can be flawed and will negatively impact a correct hiring decision.  

Groupthink

When candidates have interviewed with several team members, it is highly recommended to discuss the candidate interview results as a group. Each interviewer will have viewed the interview differently, and therefore each interviewer’s feedback is extremely important in a group session. However, steering clear of ‘groupthink’ is critical and can be avoided by having each individual team member first establish his or her own opinion of the candidate(s) prior to participating in a group feedback session.

Halo/Horn effect

Interviewers should be trained to avoid focusing on one major candidate strength or weakness as this focus could bias the entire candidate picture. Having an objective scoring process will help control this bias and keep the view of the candidate more holistic.

Pleasing Personality

I train my recruiters to ‘beware the pleasing personality’. Folks with a pleasing personality connect with others easily. They are likable…and it is easy for the interviewer to be more inclined to skip questions or overlook a candidate flaw when the interviewer ‘likes’ the candidate due to their pleasing personality.  

Set Expectations by Defining the Logistics

Make sure your training program outlines what you expect of your Interviewers.  Examples may include:

• • Define what each interviewer should do to prepare for each candidate interview. 
  • Outline how the interviewer is to treat each candidate (hospitably, etc). 
  • Set expectations regarding what should be gathered during the interview (an interview template helps with this). 
  • Clarify what type of feedback (score card, assessment notes, etc) as well as when candidate feedback should be submitted (same day of the interview, etc). 
  • And lastly, establish ground rules regarding when hiring decisions will be made and feedback given to the candidates. 

Using these tips will help you build a training program for your hiring managers so they can be experts at conducting effective interviews.

Need Help Creating an Interview Template?

if you would like assistance creating an interview template, we will be happy to provide some free assistance.  Contact us anytime! 

The post Interview Template for Hiring Teams: Conduct Effective Interviews appeared first on craresources.