Interviewing Tips for Quality Hires

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If you’ve been tasked with interviewing a potential candidate before, you know very well that an interview is not the best way to know if someone is a good fit for the job. The interview process can only show us what a job seeker is willing to show. That’s the reason why not all hires work out the way we wanted them to be. You’d hire one person and it turns out he’s not willing to give 100% of his effort on the job.  Other people are also good at talking and charming their way through the interview but when it comes to working, they’ll appear to be incapable and lousy for the job. Although the classic “interview” can be flawed, there are some ways where we can improve it and make it better to increase our chances of getting that ace employee. Here are interviewing tips for quality hires.

One technique that you could use is to let a candidate sit near your current employees 15 minutes before your interview. Make an observation whether that candidate mingles or talks to his possible future co-workers. What he says to your employees can be markers on what kind of person he really is. His actions can also dictate if he can fit with the company’s culture.

Initial interviews are great because it screens people who may not be suitable for the job. It can also tell you about an interviewee’s power of perception and observation. Ask a candidate what he thought of the initial interviewer. Was he accurate?

An interview should also be a conversation. Although you normally ask the questions, great hires are people who want to make a good impression right from the start. Examples of excellent questions are “What do you expect me to accomplish for the first 2 – 3 months?” “What are the traits of your long term top performers?” “What are the things that drive results for the company?” These questions show that this particular candidate doesn’t want to wait a long time to start being of use to the company. They also show interest and the willingness to stay with your school for a long time.

Ask candidates about their hobbies and what they generally do for fun. With their answers, you can see if they are competitive or the creative type. Inquire about any contests that they have won and ask how they became victorious. Remember, the answers don’t have to be work related.

Interviews can also be more than acquiring information from questions or checking boxes that meet the requirements. Gauge different attributes like clear thinking, retention, attention to detail and curiosity.

And finally, ask them about their first job and how they ended up with it. If they got their first job when they were young so they could spend it for school and other needs, it means that they have acquired a great work ethic early in life.

 

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