Walk-in

What is Walk-In?

A walk-in is a situation in which a client, employee, or an interviewee arrives at a location without any prior appointment. Walk-in helps save time for the company as it allows them to satisfy a huge number of people in a limited time.

What is a Walk-In Interview?

A walk-in interview is an informal candidate screening session conducted by companies in workplaces, job fairs, and hiring events to shortlist a group of people in a short time. Walk-in interviews help save resources and time as they do not require any appointment, and large groups of potential employees are interviewed.

Benefits of Walk-In Interviews

The primary goal of a walk-in interview is to assess the candidates and shortlist applicants for the final round of interviews. This process is beneficial for both candidates and the employer:

For employers:

Walk-in interviews are typically arranged on a specific date, time, and location. Employers use this method of recruitment when they need to hire many new employees. There are 7 benefits for employers:

1. Assess the huge number of applicants in a limited time.
2. Facilitate quick decision-making and determine if a candidate is a cultural fit.
3. Speed up the hiring process.
4. Eliminates the need for scheduling phone or video interviews.
5. Better understand a candidate’s effectiveness by evaluating them in-person during walk-in interviews.
6. Less recruitment costs.
7. Saves time for employers as the interview process is completed in a set period of time.

For jobseekers:

People who are searching for jobs also have a chance to get the best offers from this recruitment method. There are 5 benefits for jobseekers:

1. No prior appointment required.
2. Same day job confirmation.
3. Allows jobseekers to make a first impression in-person and set themselves apart from the competition.
4. Increase the chances of getting hired by showcasing their interpersonal and personality skills.
5. Saves time.

How to set up a walk-in interview?

Walk-in interviews are usually unplanned and fast when companies want to hire a huge number of employees. However, some companies may schedule interviews and prefer a slower process. Regardless of the type, the process to set up a successful walk-in interview is:

• Be well-versed with the candidate requirements
• Prepare interview questions
• Set a specific date, time, and location
• Advertise the walk-in interview
• Pay attention to non-verbal cues
• Be quick to spot unsuitable candidates
• Communicate the next step in the hiring process

Be well-versed with the candidate requirements

To set up a successful walk-in interview, determine the candidate requirements so that it’s easier to filter out applicants who are not fit for the job. Being well-versed in the requirements ensures that the filtration process is quicker.

Prepare interview questions

Once the employers have established the candidate requirements and are well-versed in them, the next step is to prepare the interview questions. Walk-in interviews are typically shorter than traditional recruitment methods. Prepare questions that help understand the candidate’s past performance, educational background, skills, and personality in a short amount of time.

Set a specific date, time, and location

Walk-in interviews are held on specific dates and for a limited amount of time. Companies accept applications within a set timeframe. These interviews are generally scheduled on weekends so that all potential employees get a chance to attend them. Set the right location where they will be able to attend. These locations can be the company’s workplace, colleges, job fairs, and hiring events.

Advertise the walk-in interview

Properly advertise the walk-in interview across the city. The cost of advertising for this type of recruitment method is lower than other common methods. Ensure that the company is easily discoverable when potential employees are searching for job openings. Make use of both offline and online platforms.

Pay attention to non-verbal cues

Pay attention to what the candidate is saying, the body language, and personality of the candidates. The way a candidate expresses and presents himself can help employers understand whether he is a cultural fit or not.

Be quick to spot unsuitable candidates

Walk-in interviews allow companies to meet tens to hundreds of people. Employers must be quick to spot any unsuitable candidates in terms of values, culture, skill, experience, expertise, knowledge, and personality.

Communicate the next step in the hiring process

Provide information as to the status of candidates’ applications. Let them know when the next interview, if any, will be held and provide contact details.

What are the challenges in holding walk-in interviews?

While walk-ins do save lots of time and money, they have their own set of challenges for both jobseekers and employers as with any other recruitment method.

For Jobseekers:

When jobseekers attend walk-in interviews, the challenges they face can be related to the evaluation method, location, date, or the level of competition. The major challenges faced by jobseekers are:

1. More emphasis on first impressions

One of the main challenges jobseekers face is when they have come unprepared or had trouble responding to questions and are at risk of being rejected.

2. High level of competition

Walk-in interviews typically do not require any prior appointment or eligibility, in some cases. With the level of competition, it becomes challenging to make themselves stand out from the crowd. This attracts a lot of applicants which provides less chances for candidates to be selected.

3. Possibility of less salary

Employers may select other candidates with the same skills but with lower salary expectations. This reduces the possibility of being selected for a few candidates and results in an inadequate salary for selected candidates.

For Employers:

When faced with hundreds of candidates, it becomes more challenging for employers to ensure a successful walk-in interview. Some of the common challenges employers face are:

1. Proper evaluation the candidates

As discussed above, the number of applicants makes it difficult for employers to properly evaluate candidates which results in losing potential employees.

2. Lots of paperwork

For walk-in interviews, candidates are required to bring their own documents for the walk-in. Employers will have to go through all these documents and resumes for hundreds of candidates.

3. Disagreement between recruiters

Disagreements occur between recruiters when deciding whom to call for additional interviewing or when shortlisting candidates.

4. Spend lots of time in interviewing

Walk-ins require employers to spend the entire day interviewing candidates, which requires them to put aside other important work.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

Where are walk-in interviews usually held?

Walk-in interviews are usually held at the company’s workplace itself, career fairs, and hiring events. They are held at these locations for a specific period of time.

What to bring in a walk-in interview?

Bring copies of your resume and educational/professional documents in a folder. If possible, carry business cards, any work samples, a pen, and a notepad.

How does a walk-in interview work?

A walk-interview allows candidates to walk into the venue without any appointment. They seek hiring managers directly and present themselves for on-the-spot interviews.

Do I need to have an interview to enter in a walk-in interview?

Walk-in interviews do not need any prior interviews to enter the venue. Any candidate can enter the walk-in venue and directly meet the recruiters for the interview