An interview is not only a chance for an employer to see if a candidate is a good fit, but for the candidate to see if s/he would be happy, productive, and challenged at the company. Too often, employers feel they have the upper hand in an interview scenario, because the candidate is looking for a "job".

But with rock-star candidates, we all know that isn't the case. Companies are vying for top talent, and in a city such as Seattle we are vying with other major technology players such as Amazon.com, Google, Yahoo, and now I hear MySpace is opening a Seattle shop. And when all is said and done, sometimes it boils down to the candidate experience and the impression not only of the company but also the individual recruiter and hiring manager going the "extra mile" to make sure the candidate knows how valuable they are. And the "extra mile" isn't just a gift basket after you make the offer.

As a recruiter one of the things I focus on when I'm making an offer is not just the candidate but also anyone else that has a say in the candidate's life, such as a spouse. Trailing spouses/families are a huge factor in any job that means a relocation across country, and should never be understimated when working with a candidate. If the spouse works, I will reach out to my network to provide contacts at the very least to help the other person feel involved in the process. Sometimes I will introduce a former candidate to my new employee for coffee if they are from the same part of the country. Last year I hired someone from Atlanta, and I put him in touch with another acquaintance from Alpharetta so that they could connect, and hopefully learn about the good things in Seattle and how the cultural differences could be viewed positively. It was just one email, but my new hire still thanks me for it and sends me candidates for technical positions if he knows they are looking.

Is your organization focused on the candidate experience? Even if a candidate is a "no hire" will s/he walk away with a good impression of how they were treated? Interviews are a chance for PR and positive image reinforcement as much as they are about finding the right person for the job.