How to hire the right people

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Author(s): Losyk, Bob

Did you ever stop to think why some employers are so good at hiring the right people while others are constantly interviewing because new employees never work out? What does the successful employer do differently, and what can you do to improve your success ratio?

Most people don't have a systematic method of preparing to interview a job candidate; nor do they ask the right questions. Consequently, they can't make the right choices and often end up hiring people for all the wrong reasons. If you make the wrong hiring decisions, all the new-employee training in the world won't bail you out. Or, as someone once said, if you hire tigers and train them, all you have is trained tigers.

Hiring Techniques

Here are some basic techniques that will greatly enhance your chances of choosing the right people. First, get organized and create a system. Review the job behaviors, job description, and job tasks needed. If you don't know exactly what the desired job behaviors are, you won't have the right information to devise good interview questions.

First and foremost, of course, you want to be sure that the candidates can meet the basic and specific requirements of the job. Pre-screen them by asking certain questions over the phone that can automatically eliminate some; an instance might be to probe their availability for overtime or weekend work.

Decide where to hold the interview because this plays an important role in the interview's quality and in the candidate's decision. The room should be comfortable, quiet, and free from interruptions. The atmosphere must be relaxed and informal.

Seating is important. Make sure there is no obstruction or barrier between you and the candidate. Your desk can act as a barrier to communication, as well as emphasizing your power. Try sitting to the side of your desk, at a right angle to the candidate.

Treat the candidate in the same way as you would like to be treated. Greet them warmly, extend your hand, introduce yourself, and give your job title. Use their name in the introduction, as well as two or three other times during the interview.

Don't barge right into the questions. Instead, use small talk to develop rapport and to make them feel comfortable. It's critical that you make a positive impression. This relaxes the candidate and enables them to interview better, which in turn helps to give you a clearer picture of what the candidate is all about.

Develop rapport by talking about nonthreatening matters. These could be such topics as weather, traffic, and the individual's drive to the interview. These questions form a bridge between the greeting and the interview and let the candidate know they can talk for a while without being judged.

Give the candidate an explanation of the entire interview process, making a transition between the small talk and the actual questions. But don't reveal the desired answers to the questions you'll ask. Many interviewers make the mistake of giving away too much information.

Let them know that you are going to ask them about their background and experiences to see if there is a fit for both of you. Tell them you will explain the job and will discuss your organization afterward.

You must have a list of good questions written out ahead of time. The purpose of these questions is to find out exactly what they did on previous jobs and to know how effectively they did it. After determining that they can do the job, you must find out if they will perform. Will they exhibit the correct job behaviors in your organization? Get as much information as you possibly can in order to make the right choice among your competing candidates.

You must learn whether they will fit into your office under your everyday work circumstances and whether they will work well with your staff. In many situations, teamwork and internal service are critical. The attitude that "it's not my job" or "I'm looking out for number one" will simply not fly in today's work environment.

Finding Out What You Need to Know

Good interview questions should meet certain criteria. They must be precise and easy to ask. Candidates must be clear about what you want to know, and it must be easy for them to answer the questions. Difficultly worded questions only waste time and produce awkward answers. And your questions should progress in some logical order. You want to be able to get answers that you can probe into more deeply.

Concentrate on their areas of education, past work experiences, on-the-job behaviors, and how candidates see themselves. How they view their own assets and where they feel they need further coaching and development are critical to your final decision. Also important is how they spend their free time. After all, you can learn a lot about a person's values from their hobbies or interests.

Often, interviewers spend too much time talking and giving away the answers to their own questions. The candidate should be talking at least 75 percent of the time, while you're listening. You can't listen if you are doing all the talking.

One way to assure this result is by asking many open-ended questions, ones that can't be answered with a yes or a no. The old "who, what, where, when, why, and how" are your best tools. You can get people to open up by starting questions with such words as "describe" or "explain." This keeps the candidate talking and allows you to take notes and evaluate the answers.

Closed questions, requiring only a yes or a no, can occasionally be used for clarification or verification. Examples are queries that state with "You mean . . . ? Are you saying that you . . . ? What you're telling me is that you . . . ?"

There are many books out there telling candidates how to interview. They list all the common questions and the best answers a candidate would give. But you don't want to ask the same questions as everybody else; candidates already know the most polite ways to answer those. Instead, ask questions that they are not expecting. Base them around the behaviors you feel are absolutely critical to success at your organization. By asking candidates to discuss past situations and behaviors on previous jobs, you can better predict what their behaviors will be on the new job.

If you are hiring a person for an administrative assistant position, for example, the job will require good interpersonal skills, the ability to handle stress, and the capability to deal with difficult people. You will want to ask questions about their behaviors on previous jobs in these kind of situations. An initial question could be "Give me an example of when you had to deal with a really difficult, or irate, person?" After listening, you can probe further with "How did it turn out?" or "What did you learn from it?" or "What would you do differently the next time?"

If the job requires working together closely as a team or giving internal service, ask questions related to these behaviors. For example: "Describe an instance when you had to work closely with a team on a project" and "What did you learn from this experience about teamwork and cooperation?" Or "Tell me about a time when you had to go 'above and beyond' in giving good internal service to another department or unit" and "How did it turn out?"

While the candidate is speaking, take notes. You can't remember everything being said. Listen intensely, nod, and give verbal and nonverbal feedback. It 's up to you to steer the interview in the right direction. Use wording like "That's interesting; tell me how you did that" and "What did you achieve from that?" These responses not only show you are really listening but also allow you to delve a little deeper into their background. Don't be afraid to compliment them when they mention an exceptional act or achievement. This may relax and open them up more.

When the questioning of the candidate is complete, discuss all the aspects of the job and the organization that you think they need to know. If you feel this person is qualified, you will give them a lot more information and will be selling the job. Draw a clear picture of what the job is like, and explain the overall benefits of working for your organization without overselling.

Answer all of the candidate's questions, and maintain rapport to the end. If you are seriously interested in hiring the person, ask one final question concerning their interest in the position. Use a question such as "Based on what you have seen so far, how interested are you in this position?" You have to overcome their objections and close the sale. Often, you will unearth some fears or misgivings.

At this point, all too often the interviewer will tell the candidate the interview is over and walk them to the door. But don't forget to explain what happens next. If an individual is being considered, let them know if there are additional interviews, or psychological or drug tests, required. Let them know how and when you will contact them again. If they are definitely not suitable, you still want to make them feel good about your organization without giving false hope. In all cases, thank them and walk them out, maintaining good feelings between you.

Make your decision based on three self-questions, deriving from your three objectives: "Can the person do the job?" "Will the person perform up to the standards I have set?" and "Does the person fit into my organization?" With proper preparation and some analysis afterward, you will greatly increase your success ratio in hiring the right people.

Bob Losyk, M.Ed., M.B.A., is president and chief executive officer of Innovative Training Solutions, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 954/424-0626. This article is adapted from his book Managing a Changing Workforce: Achieving Outstanding Service with Today's Employees. Visit his Web site at http://www.boblosyk.com/. Author retains copyright.

© Copyright International City Management Association Jun 2003
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