I've managed to get into the working world without going through a phone interview; now I have to interview/hire someone and I have a basic question.
At the end of the phone interview, what do I say? Do I let them know immediately if they are getting an in-person interview, and schedule it then, or do I say "we'll let you know"? If the former, what should I say to a candidate that didn't pass the interview?
As a hiring manager who has done this a lot, I have a standard line no matter the situation: I tell the candidate how the rest of the process will go, regardless of how I may or may not have judged them during our conversation.
For instance, if it's at the end of a phone screen, when I know that the next round of candidates will be called for longer interviews with the team, I say, "Thanks for talking with me today. Here's how the rest of our hiring process works: I'll finish the phone screens in the next n days, then we'll select some folks for longer interviews, and we hope to have the whole process wrapped up by x date. I'll stay in touch with you as we move through the process." If this conversation is at the end of a longer interview, I adjust what I say to take that into account.
I try very hard not to give anything away, either positively or negatively -- although I know my tone changes if I know a candidate is bombing or excelling -- and instead focus on giving information about the process rather than the person. This method avoids any extended discussions or arguments, as well as avoids any sort of commitment that might be assumed/misinterpreted by the candidate, and has the added bonus of being transparent about the hiring process itself.
I would suggest that you not give the pass/fail at the end of the phone interview. This gives you, as the interviewer, time to reflect on the interview and go over your notes. Sure, in many cases you may already know that the candidate was a great fit or a poor fit but I always like to take a little time to reflect.
It certainly isn't going to hurt to think about it a bit before making a decision. It also lets the candidate have some breathing room to do the same. They may need some time to think about whether they want to move forward with the process. The goal is always to make sure the fit is good for both the employer and the potential employee.
Most people say 'We'll be in touch'. In most companies more than one person is involved, and you can't be sure if someone else will see something in the candidate that you don't, so you can't tell them anything definite.
In the case where you are the one making the decision, if they are really wrong for the job, I don't see a problem with telling them 'Sorry, you aren't what we're looking for'. It saves everyone a lot of time if you get it over with quickly.
Similarly, if you decide you want to move to an in-person interview, I don't see any problem with scheduling that immediately.
At the end of the phone interview, what do I say? Do I let them know immediately if they are getting an in-person interview, and schedule it then, or do I say "we'll let you know"? If the former, what should I say to a candidate that didn't pass the interview?
Some additional thoughts no one else has mentioned why not to be too "see you tomorrow" happy - even if you are.
Both the above also apply to on-site interviews, as well.
You're not obligated to provide specific feedback on the spot.
You can always simply say:
"Thank you for your interest. I will contact you within (a specific timeframe) if you are selected for the next round of interviews."
If you believe they've passed, it is possible you will decide later that they are not among the strongest candidates, and that you'd prefer not to take the time to bring them in for a second round, especially if you receive a large number of applications. You may find it useful to compare notes on all your candidates before making a commitment to bring anyone back. However, if you are certain they are a strong candidate, you can always end the call by scheduling the next round of interviews.
If you are certain they've failed, there is almost never an upside to telling them so. They will inevitably want to change your mind, ask for a reason, or even possibly become emotional. Since your objective is to quickly screen out those who are a poor fit, putting yourself in the position to need to deal with these complications is counter-productive. Again, you can use the above statement. Saying that you'll contact them if... is not lying, it is simply a polite way to reject them indirectly. Specifying a specific timeframe (ie. will contact them within the next 3 days if...) can be helpful in providing the unsuccessful candidate with certainty about the outcome of the interview.
Depending on your decision , my general response would be "ok I will review your profile and have word with my senior and will get back to you" , always keep a senior boss like figure so the guy know you don't have full authority even if you do .
Now suppose if you had to select that guy just make a call and tell him know and in case if he is not suitable for the job just write him a mail to avoid awkward phone conversation.
If you are in sole charge of the verdict, AND have it right there, sure, announce it. (Not forgetting that it is binding.)
I bet though that it is not so frequently the case -- say your positive mark may still get filtered by other things, or you might get undecided and need a few more minutes to think.
Always telling just the "we'll see" is certainly the easy way out for the interviewer and the company, but it is NOT the one for the candidate. The "respect for people" approach is to go with the first whenever able. Actually if you like the candidate and post a positive, I'd suggest to tell exactly that at end, explaining that other factors are still in play (if they are).
