Organizations and candidates are each assessing the other during the interview process. While employers evaluate whether candidates are right for the job, candidates are trying to determine whether they want to work for your organization. Finding the best match between organization and candidate depends on both parties learning what they need to know about the other.

As a baseline, each stage of interviews should include an opportunity (and enough time) for candidates to ask questions about the role and organization, and to receive thorough responses. Even beyond what candidates ask, though, organizations should consider proactively sharing several other kinds of information during the hiring process. These include:

• Information about the hiring process itself. Organizations should share explicitly what their hiring process includes, what candidates can expect during the process, and how candidates can be most successful. While candidates who went to schools with strong career preparation services, candidates who have applied for jobs at similar organizations before, or candidates with extensive networks of professional peers may already know what to expect out of this process, providing this information helps to minimize the information gap about how hiring processes can disadvantage certain candidates, especially those from underrepresented groups. 
• Updates on the process. The hiring process is a future staff person’s first exposure to the culture of an organization. Hiring managers want to send a clear message about the professionalism, responsiveness, and high expectations of the organization. This means that throughout the hiring process, the hiring manager should be timely in their responses to candidates. If delays arise for reasons outside of the manager’s control, sharing a quick update with all candidates in the process about the changes to the timeline builds a positive image of the organization and establishes trust with the candidates. 
• The organization’s approach to equity. Organizations should include information in the hiring process about what steps the organization has already taken toward equity and inclusivity and what further processes are planned. Sharing this information, with a stance of humility and transparency, helps to build trust with candidates, especially those from groups that may often face discrimination or exclusion, whether explicit or implicit, in the workplace. 
• Any significant challenges that can be expected. If there are any serious challenges that a candidate could be stepping into, such as an organizational deficit or challenging dynamic with a partner organization, hiring managers should be up front with final candidates about these so that the candidate takes the job with full knowledge of what they will take on. This builds trust with the candidate and lays a strong foundation for their relationship with the organization moving forward.

Learn more in our resource, A Guide to Recruiting and Hiring