Your Next Great Employee

Marry Warren of Propel just wrote a Blog entry on the interview process. At first glance, it didn’t seem like something I wanted to read since I won’t be looking for a job anytime soon. I read her blog anyway, and decided to read from the perspective of someone doing the hiring, not trying to get a job.

This blog on Inc.com by Greg Winston says to “always look for exceptional people in and out of your industry.” His blog is mainly about sales people, but it can apply to your whole company. Think of it like a college coach looking for the best high school athletes. There may be a ton of great high school track stars, but the college coach has a specific need and a team culture that the prospective athlete needs to fit into. The unemployment rate may be closer to six percent than five, but most of the hoards of job seekers won’t fit your need. To get the right person, you have to treat candidates like YOU are the one in need, not the prospect.

In a nutshell, Mary’s tips to the interviewee are to dress appropriately, research your company, make sure you answer the questions, and ask great questions. I would submit that those same tips can be used by the interviewer successfully.

Dress Appropriately. Even if your business is business casual or casual casual, make an effort for your interview subjects. That way, the ones dressed up in suits won’t feel awkward about how they are dressed and the focus can be about getting to know each other.
Know your candidate. Make sure you have thoroughly read the interview subjects resume. If he or she has provided websites to look at or additional material, look it over. Know the person’s name, and why they want the job. Have in mind what impressed you most about his or her resume and hit that during the interview. Praise the person for specific things about his or her career accomplishments.
Ask good questions. Don’t waste your time asking “trick” questions. Get to the heart of the matter and ask questions that relate your prospect’s experience with your needs. Ask specific questions about facts listed on the prospect’s resume to get some more background. Look for something they say to spark another question. This takes practice, but you will break out of the “interview” much more and the time can be used to really understand each other. Winston says to ask them about the last book they read and to solve a sample problem. The trick is to get the prospect out of his or her prepared responses to normal interview questions.
Answer questions carefully. This will show your listening skills. If the prospect has taken the time, as Mary said, to ask you some pointed questions, answer completely. If there is something you can’t answer, be honest.

Try not to make the prospect impossibly uncomfortable like in the Monty Python video below (excusing some of the overly-British humor):

Melanie’s comment about sending a thank you note in the mail applies to the interviewer too. Get back to everyone you interview quickly and politely. Remember that they took time out of their day to come see you- you didn’t have to go anywhere! A simple thank-you goes a long way.

Mike Freeman
I’m always looking for great people to be on my team.