Why We Interview Candidates Face to Face at Lynx

Ever since we started Lynx, we’ve made it a core operating principle that, whenever possible, we conduct our interviews with candidates face-to-face, in person. Many other recruiting firms don’t do this, and we sometimes will get pushback from potential candidates along the lines of, “Why do I need to come in and meet with you? Other agencies aren’t making me do this, and they’re getting me interviews.” It’s a fair question.

At Lynx, we see our role as counselors and advisors to both companies and candidates. We strive to get to know the client companies we represent, so that we can inform our candidates about opportunities that will mesh well with their goals and objectives. Visiting companies and sitting down with the VP of Engineering, the Director of Software, or the CEO is something that we are constantly doing, in order to have the best possible insight into making good matches. We feel that it’s critically important to have the same level of engagement on the candidate side of the equation. Every company has a different culture, and just because a candidate has the right technical skills, that doesn’t mean that there will be a cultural match. Gaining insight into these nuances is something that’s best accomplished in a face-to-face meeting.

Because we do this, we’ve been able to build up enormous credibility with hiring authorities, so we can get access to many desirable companies that other agencies are shut out of. Our clients expect that we will do this level of screening with candidates we present to them, so they are more inclined to trust our judgment. This benefits our candidates greatly, because we can open career doors for them that many recruiting firms are simply unable to. In addition, because we’re making the effort to meet in person, and gain this deep understanding, we can be very effective in presenting the “story” behind qualified candidates, to maximize the chances that we can set up a meaningful interview quickly.

There has to be a certain level of openness and trust among the hiring client, the candidate, and the recruiter. If not, the process is unlikely to produce satisfactory results. We put an enormous amount of time and effort into providing the best possible representation to our clients and our candidates, and frankly, we’re looking to spend our efforts with those people who value that level of involvement, and see the benefits of building that relationship and trust with a good recruiter.

Sometimes it’s just not feasible to meet with a candidate, and being rigid doesn’t benefit anyone. We understand that, and we’re flexible when we need to be. If it’s necessary and there’s a good reason, we can make it work with a Skype video chat, or a detailed phone interview. But, in our opinion, there will always be subtle advantages that will come to the candidate who takes the time to sit down and meet with their Lynx recruiter.