The Interview

Single Key to Attracting the Best Hires

The Interview—it's not a time to chat and visit, it's a time to dig and investigate.

Preparing is a two-step process.

First, use the job description to identify the traits, skills, and abilities you need. (No job description? I can help you write one.)

Second, determine how you will figure out if the candidate has the skills you require.

It's one thing to say you need a sharp financial analyst who can meet deadlines and knows about corporate reporting requirements. But how do you figure out if a candidate can meet those criteria?

It's easy, right? Just ask:

•Are you a sharp financial analyst? ("Yes.")
•Can you meet deadlines? ("Yes.")
•Are you familiar with corporate reporting requirements? ("Yes.")

That's a pretty quick interview. And a pretty meaningless one. Instead of yes/no questions that telegraph the desired answer, figure out some other ways to get at the information.

•Ask about the types of projects the person has done (biggest, most interesting, most challenging, for whom, with what help).
•Ask about the environment the person works in (what sort of deadlines, how many projects at a time, what he or she does when priorities conflict).
•Ask about the boss (likes and dislikes, pet peeves, time you pleased or annoyed).

Go through the job description, pick out key issues, and design questions that will help you get at those issues.

A side benefit of this work is that you'll end up with a set of questions that you can ask of all candidates, ensuring consistency in your interview process.

Otherwise, you'll end up asking different questions of each candidate, and you will have little basis for comparison (except, perhaps, the basis for a discrimination charge).

Finally, don't forget to ask routine questions that are deal breakers. For example:
•If a certification or degree is required, be sure the person has it.
•If travel is required, be sure the person can travel.
•If relocation is required, be sure the person can relocate.

If you're bringing someone in from out of town for the interview, get these questions answered by phone before the visit—you don't want to have to report to the boss and the hiring manager that you just flew someone in from the coast for an interview, only to discover that he or she was missing a key criterion.

Summarized from Today's HR Daily Advisor Tip, July 15, 2010

Amoung many others, two of my areas of expertise are in writing job descriptions and helping clients prepare for interviews that will be meaningful, provide the information needed to make a good hiring selection and help reduce liability associated with a poor hire.

Contact me at TheWhitfordGroup@aol.com