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I have been hired a few times, have hired more than a few people myself and have worked with business owners who have made both good and pretty bad hires. Along the way, I have picked up some best practices and have found that when it comes to effective hiring, implementing a few techniques during the interview process can make a huge, positive difference!
Here are a few things to consider when interviewing for that next great hire:
- Ask the job candidate “Can you share with me a time that you ran into a problem completing a project and what you did to overcome it?” Then consider, did the applicant try to resolve the issue on their own; or did they approach their boss with the problem and a proposed solution; or did they perhaps just sit it out and hoped it went away? The answer to this question is telling and goes a long way in determining if this candidate is sharp, professional and in alignment with your company culture.
- Near the close of the interview, ask the candidate, “What else would you like to ask me or tell me that you might otherwise had wished we discussed?” An open-ended question like this not only gives the applicant the opportunity to express his or her questions, but also gives you insight into their professionalism, frame of reference and focus.
- You can close out the interview by suggesting to the candidate “If you are still interested in this position, please send me an outline of your understanding of the job and why you feel you are a good fit for it.” Don’t spell out a timeframe or how long or whether it should be emailed, snail mailed or a text message. You will learn a lot about this person by giving them this open instruction.
- Lastly, don’t hire based just on resumes and experience. Experience and skills can be taught; work ethic and attitude cannot. A lazy employee or one with a poor attitude can be cancerous to your team. But how can you gauge the work ethic of someone you simply don’t know yet? Take a look at that list of references. Beyond speaking to the candidate’s provided references (who were handpicked by the candidate to say nice things), also consider asking the reference “Who else might I speak with about Joe that might be willing to share their thoughts about him?” Insight from an unexpected source can be telling – and ideally will underscore that you have a terrific job candidate to add to your team.
By Bob Dodge
