Giving Candidates Feedback

Schmidtmann encouraged interviewers to create a T-chart and keep track of the positive and negative elements of each candidate's responses.

After eight-to-ten scenario-based questions, Schmidtmann said employers should give the candidates feedback on their responses, with three-or-four pieces of positive feedback to each critique. Candidate's responses to negative feedback should give employers a sense of how coachable they would be, Schmidtmann said.

Similarly, giving candidates positive feedback where the employer quotes back specific things they said makes the interviewee aware of mentoring opportunities within the company, boosting the likelihood the candidate would accept an eventual job offer.    

And even if a job offer isn't forthcoming, a pleasant interview experience makes referrals more likely down the road.