Casting Call – Is the Job Audition The New Interview?

Ah, the job interview – that white knuckle ride where managers and HR staff get around 20 minutes to decide whether a candidate is up to muster or not. To be honest, before the candidate even extends that first clammy hand-shake, an employer has the important basic information – their experience and qualifications; all of which is on their CV. What the CV won’t tell you is whether they’ll fit in with the team and about their odd little habits – and neither will an interview. This is where the job audition comes in.

Learning your lines

In 2019, many savvy employers are recognising the quite obvious benefits of the job audition over the traditional interview in determining a candidate’s suitability? So, how does it work?

First of all, you need to decide on the duration of the interview. Whilst some businesses feel that one full day is sufficient, others prefer to agree on two or three weeks in which to monitor and analyse the candidate’s performance. One could argue that three weeks is excessive and, that one day is simply not enough, in which case a few days or a week will do the trick.

Secondly, the candidate’s recompense will need to be locked down. Remember, while he or she is treading the boards in your office, they’re unable to actively continue with their job seeking so it’s only fair that they are paid the equivalent of the salary of the role.

Get your blocking right

During the audition period, the candidate will, essentially, be performing the advertised role. This means that, after some basic training, they’ll need to be thrown in at the deep end in order for you to properly assess their performance. Although this may seem like stating the obvious, it does throw up another decision – how much company and data will they be exposed to during their audition period? Although you want to get a true picture of his or her capabilities, it’s best to err on the side of caution and limit access to sensitive information until contracts have been signed. Similarly, it’s a good idea to keep the candidate away from meetings where sensitive information may be shared.

She’s a hit!

During the audition period, it may become clear that the candidate is right for the job – in which case, it’s fine to cut the period short and move straight onto a full probationary period. In a similar vein, if it’s obvious that a candidate is the wrong fit for your team, it’s only fair to cut the audition short – and cut them loose so that they can look elsewhere.

The purpose of the job audition is one that benefits both employer and potential employee. As an employer, you can quickly see the quality of a candidate’s work and see how well they gel with their potential colleagues. For the candidate, it’s an opportunity to find out whether they would enjoy – and be up to – the job as well as figuring out if they can live with Sandra from Accounts’ endless stories about her Chihuahua. In order for the audition to be successful, the candidate should be treated like any other new member of staff – and should be expected to abide by the same rules as the rest of your team.

At Optima, we specialise in marrying up talent with opportunities – get in touch today to find out how we can help your business.