As we have discussed before, a recruiter is not just selling the candidate to the employer; but he/she is also selling the job and the company to the job candidate.  But what we need to remember is that the best candidates (the ones we want) are in high demand even in turbulent times and are also assessing the recruiter during the interview.  Here are a few tips to help you win over the best candidates during an interview.

1.    Treat every candidate with respect and the highest level of professionalism.  This means showing up on time for the interview and respecting the candidate's time.

2.    Be knowledgeable about the candidate's background and have a copy of their resume in front of you while you are interviewing them.  There's nothing worse than saying to a candidate, "Do you have a copy of your resume?" during an interview because you can't find your copy.

3.    Tell the job candidate what to expect during the interview.  Tell them how many people will be conducting the interview and how long (approximately) the interview will last. Also let them know what documentation they need to bring to the interview.

4.    Do not take phone calls during the interview.  Consider yourself on a date…would you take a call during a date with someone you wanted to impress?  If you take a call while interviewing a quality candidate, they won't be impressed.

5.    Give the job candidate an opportunity to ask questions about the position you are offering.  Make sure you are prepared to answer their questions and any questions you don't have answers to, say--"I will need to ask the company and get back to you."  It's really important that you actually get back to them.

6.    This last point is really important, follow-up with all candidates regardless of whether they are a good fit or not for the position.  If a job candidate is not a good fit for a job, call them and tell them that you are not able to place them at this time.  That candidate may not work out this time; but he/she may be perfect for the next position you have available and the fact that you took the time to follow-up will leave a lasting impression.