Facilitate interviews for displaced talent

Interviews and skills tests are opportunities for an employer to confirm their interest in a job applicant and are an important aspect of any hiring process. Talent-facing organizations can support displaced talent to thrive during the interview process by providing useful context on interview norms, offering opportunities to practice interviews or skills tests, supporting coordination with the employer, and ensuring displaced talent has access to needed technology and space. Employer-facing organizations can also work directly with employers to ensure they develop inclusive interview processes and set displaced talent up for the greatest possible interview success. 

Facilitate an interview 

Organizations can play an important role in helping to facilitate a successful interview. To support employers and candidates with any timezone and communications challenges, organizations can offer to handle communications between the two parties until a job offer has been made. Once an employer has determined who they would like to interview, organizations can help coordinate scheduling and make sure that displaced talent have access to a stable internet connection and a quiet space to interview. 

Manage displaced talent expectations about an interview process

Reaching the interview phase of a recruitment process is an important achievement for displaced talent. But it’s important to remind applicants that more often than not, an interview does not result in a job offer. Applicants can expect to interview multiple times before securing an offer of employment. Visit the article on managing expectations for key messages to reiterate. 

Manage employer expectations about an interview process

Organizations that work directly with employers can help make sure the interview process goes smoothly by taking time to educate employers about what to expect when interviewing displaced talent and offering steps they can take to design an interview process that is inclusive of displaced talent. Read our article about managing employer expectations for refugee labour mobility programs to learn more.

Prepare for an interview

Organizations can support displaced talent to prepare for interviews in several ways. 

Confirm the interview format

Employer-facing organizations can support displaced talent by confirming the format of the interview. Some interview processes include extensive skill testing. By gathering as much information as possible about the steps of the interview process, organizations can help ensure displaced talent know what to expect and can prepare accordingly..

Empower employers

Many employers also have existing resources specific to their business or the location of the role. Some employers also take it upon themselves to help prepare candidates for interviews by providing resources/materials and doing preparation meetings with the candidates. Organizations can encourage employers to extend additional resources to displaced talent.

Provide capacity-building support

Many displaced talent do not have formal interview experience. Managing organizations can help ensure they are prepared for the interviews by providing capacity-building support ahead of the interview. Please see how to support displaced talent to interview effectively for international jobs for more detailed information. 

Interview follow up 

No job offer

Organizations working with employers should request that employers provide feedback to displaced talent even if they are not moving further ahead in the recruitment process. Feedback is extremely helpful for supporting professional development and is a thoughtful recognition of the effort displaced talent are putting forth in very challenging circumstances. 

Job offer

If, after an interview, an employer is prepared to issue a job offer, organizations can play a role in helping displaced talent review the offer and make an informed decision about their employment and migration.