In a previous life, I worked in retail management for over 20 years. In that time I probably hired hundreds of people and after awhile I found myself asking a variation of these same four questions:
Do you think you possess the skills, expertise and experience to perform this job?
What do you think you would bring to our team that other candidates don't possess?
Why do you think you are a good fit for our team, our culture and our company?
In what ways will you help our company make more money?
What also became clear after planning and conducting several of these interview was the acceptance of an certain amount of futility on both the employer and the prospective employee. He/She really couldn't answer questions about how they would fit into a culture that they had yet to experience. And likewise, despite a battery of tests, and multiple interviews, the turnover percentage of these new hires was the same as if we had asked the four questions listed above. The point being that hiring someone based on their ability to act in a way that made them seem hire-able was at best a crap shoot. So what is the best way to discern what employees will fit in your company?
The four questions above are designed to discern the obvious candidates who possess the education, skills, resources, and experience to perform the job you are interviewing for at the moment. It is my belief that this method is the quickest way to filter the applications and resumes that have found your way to your desk. Here are the next action steps:
1) Never interview alone. It is way to easy to be swayed by distractions and conversational rabbits that end up with you bonding with the applicant but not learning anything about the applicant. Have at least one other person involved in this process, and make sure this person is someone that feels confident in contradicting you if needed and maybe even interrupting the flow of the conversation if so required. Make sure this second person is someone who understand the daily grinds of the position you are interviewing for and will ask the hard questions that you might not even know to ask. This is a must for obtaining the best candidate for your company.
2) Always ask at least one stupid question. I mean a really stupid question that could not have been anticipated and requires the applicant to think on their feet. This will reveal a lot about your applicant and their ability to perform under pressure.
3) Never forget, the Past predicts the Future. With very rare exceptions, do not allow your judgement to be swayed by personality, engaging stories, and tales of profit. The person sitting in front of you is most likely not going to change their stripes and what they did in the past is usually a very accurate barometer for what they will do in the future.
4) Always leave room for the unexpected. Never let appearances be the overriding decision point in your interview process. If you find yourself thinking about how it is your belief that they will never fit into your culture you have already started down a negative pathway that is difficult to change. Maybe you need a person who will change up your culture. Maybe the culture needs to look more like your applicant. The point is, don't be swayed by snap judgments.
5) The truth. All of the interview process is a dance but the bottom line objective is to discover the truth. The applicants are seeking to find out what your company is really about and you are trying to discern the real person behind this positive bundle of joy sitting before you. Don't underestimate your gut instinct at this point. If the answers you have been given don't align with your impression of the applicant that is a major red flag. If you feel the applicant is truthful, enthusiastic, persistent and possesses the ability to get along well with others stop the interview now and hire them. Yes, hire them now. Even if they don't work out for this position they are too valuable to let them walk out your door. Those skills are to be valued above all and the sooner you discern whether your applicants possesses them the sooner you will have hired a great employee.
6) Don't leave them wondering. Clearly lay out the next steps in the process and express your gratitude for their time and attention. Make sure that you do what you said you would because you never know when the right position for the wrong applicant will appear.
7) Always assign your new hire a probationary period of employment. Make sure at the end of this prescribed time that you meet with them to determine their level of understanding and perceptions of the position they have been hired to perform. This is another great time to bring in their immediate supervisor to ensure that everyone's stories line up and that there are no unresolved issues before granting them full employment.
I hope these steps will help you while you are looking for the best employees for your company. Happy hiring!
