Hire the Right People part 3

All effective interviewers have a long list of each of the 3 types of questions that apply to each aspect of the job and the company. (See previous post for the 3 types of questions). Simply stated, an effective interviewer is someone who is able to explore the candidate in such a manner so as to gather the required information to make an intelligent hiring decision. An intelligent decision is one that you can support with specific information if asked why you believe the applicant will succeed at the job, align with the company culture, and mesh with the other employees.

Another important aspect in hiring the right people is the proper use of a cooperation-test before the next interview. A cooperation-test is a project to perform, which will provide you with valuable insights when the applicant brings you the completion of the project. Give the applicant minimal instructions, and have them bring their effort to the next interview.  If they fail to do the project, listen closely to their excuses, etc.  This will enable you to discover the differences between the talkers and the doers, and you will learn much about the applicant regarding how they are likely to act when they fail on the job.

If the applicant completes the assignment, carefully observe how it is packaged, the neatness factor, the degree of effort and sophistication, and much more. Obviously the scope of the project is associated with the type of the job for which the applicant is applying.

Cooperation-test options: Potential managers may be asked to describe (write-up) the management style of the best manger for whom they have worked. A programmer may be asked to write a synopsis of a certain software program. Salesperson may be asked to do a little research on your number one competitor's product. Write a review of their opinion of your website. The options are limitless.

NOTE: They way the applicant performs in relation to the cooperation-test enables you to learn the degree of effort the applicant puts into the project, the way it is laid out, the container in which in resides when they submit it you. That which you can learn from a cooperation-test is limitless, and there is likely a correlation as to how they will conduct themselves on the job.

Most people are clueless regarding the massive cost of hiring the wrong person. I suggest, if you hire quickly you also fire quickly. An unhappy or ineffective associate can contaminate others and cost you thousands of dollars. The moment you have a inkling that an associate is not performing or producing as you anticipated; it is time for a meeting to review the job description, production quotas, and performance records. Hiring with a probationary period, often makes it easier to terminate when the first 30, 60, 90 days don’t go as you imagined they would.

Terminating employees can be likened to pruning a tree; overall it is a healthy process for the tree/company. I am not suggesting a fear-based environment, or capriciously firing people. Terminations work best when the manager utilizes a clearly stated job description, along with performance/production quotas that keep the conversation from getting mired in the subjective, so you can concentrate on the objective components. When managers deal in specifics and measurables, associates know precisely how well they are doing in light of expectations. This type of environment makes terminating associates a very smooth and easy process.

This is final post of three…hopefully, you have picked up an idea or two that will enable you to make more effective hiring and placement decisions.

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How to Hire Winners part 2

Interviewing people is all about discovering if the applicant has the necessary personal resources along with the necessary skills and capabilities to effectively function in the proposed position.

For that to be discovered, you must know what questions to ask and how best to ask those questions. Nobody likes to be grilled, that is why an interview is really a conservation that is designed to provide the necessary data for the interviewer to make a determination about the applicant.

Before sharing some questions and possible answers, it is important to note that prior to the interview it is best to provide the applicant with adequate information about the company, and specific information regarding the demands, skills and unique traits necessary to succeed in the position.  When this is properly done, many potential applicants will eliminate themselves-- realizing they lack the necessary skills, attitudes, resources, or perhaps the demands are contrary to their desires. This data is usually on hidden links on the company website. Example: www.abc.com/sales1, www.abc.com/sales2, or www.abc.com/admin1, www.abc.com/mgm1.  

Compiling these data sheets serves several purposes: (1) it forces the company to crystallize in written form precisely what the job entails, as well as the required assets and capabilities of the ideal applicant.  (2) It enables the person doing the interview to easily create the best possible questions to ask the applicant. (3) Initially, it enables the applicant to determine if the position is of interest, as well as if they possess the necessary skills and capabilities to succeed in the position. 

There are four types of questions frequently used during interviews:

Fact Finding, Feeling Finding, Open Ended and Follow-Ups. 

Fact Finding Questions:

1.    How long have you been in sales?

A.    I have been is sales for ten years.

2.    Do you have reliable transportation?

B.    I can get to work.

3.    If selected, how quickly could you begin working here?

C. I could start immediately.

4.    How proficient are you in Office Suites (software)?

           D. I do pretty well with Office Suites.

  

Feeling Finding Questions:

1.    How do you feel about working weekends?

E. I like to go fishing on the weekends.

2.    How do you feel about traveling 50% of the time?

F. Gasoline is expensive and flying is a lot of hassle these days.

3.    How do you feel about working in an open office layout?

G. I have heard they are noisy and I like a quiet work place.

4.    How do you feel about meeting daily with your supervisor?

H. Depends on how productive the meetings are?

Open Ended Questions:

1.    How would you describe your management style?

I. I am a pretty easy going person.

2.    What do you like most about sales?

J. I like wrapping up the deal.

3.    What attracts you to this position?

K. It sounded like it would be a fun job.

4.    How do you like to be managed/supervised?

L. As long as I am doing ok, I like to be left alone.

Follow-Up Questions to Previously Asked Questions:

A.    Which of your positions did you enjoy the most?

B.    And just how will that happen?

C.    Do you feel like you have any obligation to give your current employer a week or two notice?

D.   Which of the programs are most challenging for you?

E.     Does that mean you wouldn’t be able to work weekends?

F.     How would you describe your style when being hassled?

G.   How much less work do you think you would produce in a noisy office environment?

H.   Are you only interested in doing productive things?

I.       How difficult is it for you to put someone on probation or terminate them?

J.      How do you feel about prospecting for new accounts?

K.    How would you describe a fun job?

L.     How would you feel about being managed closely during the first 3 months?

Effective interviewers have a long list of the 3 primary types of questions, for each aspect of the job. For example in sales there are several aspects to the job that spawn questions: time management, prospecting, making presentations, closing the sale, imputing and managing data, follow-up after the sale, and the list goes on.

Your objective is to discover what the applicant's responses really mean as it applies to the position. This will enable you to develop a full profile of the applicant’s propensities, resources and capabilities. This is likely to take 2 or 3 interviews.

If all of this is new to you, practice this process on your existing staff. Each time you meet with one of them, ask a question or two that you would ask a new applicant for the same position. Then do a couple of follow-up question just to practice for the next interview. There answers will also help you better understand and manage each of your existing employees.

This is part 2 of 3. Next, I will provide additional insights to help you streamline the hiring process, so you will consistently hire the right people for the right positions.

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