It used to be standard practice for company leaders to interview candidates to see if they have qualities that will be in sync with their organization. But things are starting to change. 

Kiersten Kanaley, Vice President of Talent Acquisition Operations in Cleveland Clinic’s Caregiver Office, notes, “There has been a paradigm shift in the role of the interviewer and the interviewee in the last 18 months. And no longer are organizations and leaders having a one-way interview process. It’s truly bi-directional.” 

Cleveland Clinic has embraced this change. Supporting interviews that are truly bi-lateral, they’re committed to meeting candidates where they are and understanding what matters most to them.   

Kanaley says, “It’s important that you can build trust with your leader so that you can share what’s important to you as an individual, both personally and professionally.” 

The right connection between employees and leaders may have more influence than we realized. It often has a ripple effect throughout their personal lives. “Feeling happy and fulfilled in their careers has a positive impact on their sense of purpose, fulfillment and happiness in all areas of their lives,” says Kanaley.  

She references the article, “Managers Have Major Impact on Mental Health: How to Lead for Wellbeing” by Tracy Brower, PhD in Forbes magazine. Brower quotes a study by The Workforce Institute at UKG which states: According to 69% of people, their managers had the greatest impact on their mental health, on par with the impact of their partner. And this was more than the impact of their doctor (51%) or therapist (41%). 

The interview process is the candidate’s opportunity to assess if the organization’s mission and values resonate with them and ensure the leader has the qualities to drive their overall experience and purpose. Kanaley also emphasizes that candidates should pay attention to interview process experience.  How does the leader:

• Exhibit curiosity? 
• Lean in and actively listen to your lived experience? 
• Ask a follow-up question to demonstrate that they heard you? 
• Follow up with you after their interview? 

And on the flip side, candidates are encouraged to ask questions that will give them insight into the organization’s values. Depending on what’s important to the candidate, these may include: 

• How does the organization support my professional development and career growth? 
• How does the organization encourage open and honest communication? 
• What happens if an employee makes a mistake? 
• What type of programs do you offer to support my well-being? 

“Candidates should be empowered, expected and capable to come prepared for an interview,” says Kanaley. “It will help them stand out from the other candidates.” 

She believes that the behavior leaders demonstrate during the interview is something candidates can expect once they become employees. According to the article “8 Essential Qualities of Successful Leaders” by Rebecca Night in Harvard Business Review, the eight qualities a candidate should look for in a leader include: 

• Authenticity – Genuinely shows up through multiple experiences. 
• Curiosity – Leans in, wants to learn, listen, explore and innovate.  
• Analytical thinking – Breaks down complex problems, identifies root causes and comes up with fresh ideas. 
• Adaptability – Ventures beyond their comfort zone, environments and people they work with. 
• Creativity – Establishes an environment that nurtures creativity in others. 
• Comfort with ambiguity – Asks a lot of “what ifs” and “so what’s”. 
• Resilience – Questions if there is another path rather than charging ahead with unwavering vision. 
• Empathy – Fosters a supportive and nurturing environment.  

Finding a leader with the qualities a candidate values is essential to their success within an organization. “A strong leader should have high expectations for them and help them achieve their true potential” Kanaley says. “Candidates deserve to feel valued, empowered, and above all, appreciated. If they don’t, they haven’t found the right role yet.”