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.

TOOLS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED TO A GREATER DEGREE…

Take our online test; it is designed to better enable you to determine those who are the best fit for each position. Take it yourself and verify our accuracy and the depth of usable information. The profiles are also an excellent management tool for new and existing personnel. Buy one test and get a second for free before June 30th. www.insyncness.com/resources

If you want to increase your management skills, read In-Syncness for Leaders & Managers for a fresh perspective on how best to lead and manage. You will not be disappointed with this read. www.insyncness.com/books

If you want to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of your current staff, encourage them to read In-Syncness the State of Being. You will be amazed at what will happen to the culture and profitability of your company. www.insyncness.com/books

At the website, there are links to Amazon and B&N.