Why Are Candidates Skipping Interviews Despite Confirmations? Seeking Advice!

I'm working as an HR in an IT company. I just have a query regarding recruitment. Why are candidates not turning up for interviews? I'm really fed up with this. After making many follow-ups, candidates are still not coming for interviews, even after confirming via email. I give them a reminder call a day before the interview, and when I confirm with them in the morning, they say they cannot come.

I am unable to find any solution; I have to complete my hiring. Please suggest some ways.

I am really looking for help or advice.

Regards,
Nisha Sharma
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In recruitment, this is a common problem that everyone faces. If you want to hire 5 employees, then you have to call 100 members, shortlist fifty, and call fifty. 20-25 will attend further rounds, and you will get 10 from which you can select 5.

Candidates have different views on joining a company. Some will look for a reputed company, some will prioritize money, and others will consider future prospects, and so on.

Thank you for your prompt reply.

@Govind: I am looking for a Software Engineer who can work on PHP frameworks with 1-3 years of experience. As far as I know, there are resources available in the market. While we may not offer high salaries, we do pay the candidate's expected salary (we only consider candidates who fit within our budget). Our company does not have a negative reputation in the market. Even those who have left us are very satisfied with our work culture and appraisals.

@Syedhussain: In the last few days, I lined up 12 candidates, out of which 5 did not show up for the interview, 6 were rejected, and 3 were shortlisted. Please advise if this criteria is effective for hiring.

Some candidates have requested a second chance to interview but have repeated the same behavior.

In addition to the above, how can we enhance communication with candidates, especially when they are pressed for time at their current workplaces?

I am quite disappointed this time as I did not receive this response earlier.

Regards,
Nisha Sharma
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This is a common problem faced by IT companies, I guess. If you apply a different strategy, it will help you. I would suggest, why don't you refer to those candidates' profiles which were kept on hold earlier and could not be recruited just because someone was superior to them? Those who have liked your company's environment and working culture would definitely consider attending interviews.

Furthermore, if you are ready to hire a candidate with 1 year of experience, you can also consider recruiting freshers. Someone senior within your organization can train and develop them. Additionally, freshers will get a job and work sincerely. You won't have to chase after them.

Hope the above helps to solve your problem.

Best regards,
Vaishalee Parkhi

Very nice and practical approach. I did the same thing, but still, they are on hold by the management side. Even one candidate is really very interested in joining us, but still, he is on hold.

Challenges with Hiring Freshers

For freshers, I'm trying to convince my boss, but he is not interested in the same. According to him, a fresher needs intensive training, and they are time-consuming. Still trying to convince them, but truly speaking, freshers help us in cost-cutting, and they can easily mold into our atmosphere. Yes, they require training, but everybody needs that. Last year we hired two freshers, and they are really very profitable for us.

For the past few days, I'm feeling myself in a messy situation. I have a solution, but nobody wants to go for that. Don't know what to do in these types of situations.

Regards,
Nisha Sharma
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Strategies to Address No-Shows at Interviews

The only way out for a no-show at the interview stage is to shortlist more candidates. However, not every skill set will allow you to do that.

Did you try referrals? When employees refer their friends, the chances of a no-show fall drastically. Can you consider a mass walk-in? What are your chances to advertise for a walk-in in a newspaper or even on FM radio? A walk-in would attract a lot of rejects and increase the administrative work, but at least you'll have people who are interested in the job.

Here's an old discussion on how to manage 'No-Show' both at the hiring stage and at induction: [Managing No-Show](https://www.citehr.com/52145-re-plz-help-me-offer-letter.html)

Looking forward to hearing from you.

You should establish a referral policy for your company and announce an attractive referral bonus for referring individuals who meet your job requirements. Candidates recommended by your employees are more likely to attend interviews, join your company, and remain in their positions. The referral bonus must be paid out after the candidate successfully completes a three-month probation period, and the referring employee must still be employed by your company when the bonus is awarded. Our company follows this policy, and we consistently attract suitable candidates.

Regards,
MP Mittal
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As a recruiter, while having a telephonic conversation, try to assess the candidate's seriousness about the job before deciding to call them for an interview. It is important to gauge their level of interest and commitment early on.

It is also crucial to remember that we, as recruiters, are not always able to determine the authenticity of the reasons given by candidates. We too have been in their position, attending interviews and facing uncertainties. Therefore, it is essential to maintain an open mind and give candidates the benefit of the doubt.

To ensure a successful recruitment process, aim to shortlist a larger pool of candidates and have a strong backup plan in place. This will help in case of any unforeseen circumstances or last-minute changes.

Best regards

When I was an IT recruiter in a consultancy, I used to recruit for niche skills for IBM. At that time, I had tough days closing a single position even after many shortlists, line-ups, and other usual follow-ups. I called a candidate in Hyderabad who was willing to relocate to Bangalore (job location). Due to personal reasons, when I called him, he started sharing his family situation and how important it was for him to relocate. I supported him by providing a detailed job description of his role and how he could showcase his skills in interviews, asking him to prepare well with what he knew.

In the end, I closed the position with that candidate. Interestingly, he visited me after joining IBM in Bangalore with a small gift. This was my first successful closure after a year of experience as an IT recruiter (in 2008). Following that, I used the same approach for all positions, leading me to my current role as an HR Manager heading a plant in Chennai.

Suggestions for Successful Recruitment

1. I suggest looking for job seekers willing to relocate from a different region (state) to your area. Mention the preferred location in job portals.

2. Don't call the candidate with an exact matched profile just to close the position. Instead, call to understand their strengths, have a long discussion to know their abilities, willingness, and interests.

3. Avoid the old technique of calling 100 candidates to fill 5 vacancies, as this can lead to stress and frustration before reaching the 15th or 20th candidate. This method may work for ITES fresher requirements.

This is my first post on Cite HR. I welcome suggestions, corrections, and comments on my post.

Regards,
Varadharajan K

When it comes to Junior Level recruitment, with 0-3 years of experience, the chances of getting an interview are very slim. If you are looking to hire one person, you should schedule a minimum of 10 candidates for interviews. Try to schedule the interviews on the weekend, starting from Friday to Saturday, and if possible, extend to Sunday. Candidates in the 0-3 years experience age group are very opportunistic when it comes to factors such as money, brand, ambiance, and lack of commitment.

Steps to Improve Interview Turnout

Start with mass mailing as the first step. Conduct strong telephonic interviews. Inform the candidates that the interview will be conducted by a senior authority, so they need to be prepared and punctual. Avoid requesting them; instead, maintain a confident attitude in your voice. It should not be rude but very clear.

I hope this information is helpful.

Thanks,
Poonam Bisht

Thank you so much, guys, for suggesting and sharing your valuable experience with me. Sometimes, I feel that I'm lacking in maintaining friendly conversations with candidates, and I am seriously trying to improve in that area.

I really like the last line, Poonam: "Never request them, just show attitude in your voice. It should not be rude but should be very clear."

Thanks once again.

Regards,
Nisha Sharma

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"Candidates are not turning up for the interviews" means they didn't know about the interview. At present, you can find numerous students willing to work in the IT industry. All you have to do is post on the Naukri portal. It's the best portal as far as I know. Bulk email them... I'm sure your single email will work.