We are experiencing a time of great employee turnover, one unlike any most of us have seen in our careers. There are so many opportunities right now for your best people to jump ship!
If you’re a small business owner, that likely means you’re trying to attract new employees (see my tips on this here).
And you are likely finding yourself conducting lots of interviews, too.
Picking the right people to build out your ‘A’ team is critical. Get it right, and you have given your company another invaluable asset. Get it wrong, and you could have headaches for years to come, not to mention unemployment claims and lawsuits.
In my experience, interviews are some of the most challenging aspects of being a leader and manager. Interviewing is a skill that is both a science and an art, and you really need to master this part of your job.
If you would like to get tips on how to retain your current employees, please see here.
And if you would like to get tips on how to conduct better interviews, including critical questions I recommend you ask, keep reading!
How (And Why) To Conduct A Phone or Video Interview
I often recommend you save time for both you and the candidate by conducting a telephone or video interview first. This can help you narrow in on the top candidates that are worth investing more time in.
Keep your notes for each candidate – and make sure you stick just to the facts, not your opinions. It is ok to note that someone was 15 minutes late to the interview or failed to provide answers to many of your questions. It is not okay to make any reference that would show you were discriminating against them for a protected classification (this goes for in-person interviews, too!).
A phone interview is a bit more of a ‘getting to know you’ affair. With their resume in hand, you can ask them about a range of topics:
- Gaps in their employment history
- Why they left each job
- Why they are seeking another opportunity currently
- The responsibilities they have had in their past couple of positions
- Specific technical skills you need, such as licenses, inventory management, programming, graphic designing, manufacturing, purchasing, cost accounting, marketing, etc.
- What it is about this job that interests them
- Where they see themselves professionally in 3-5 years. This gives you an indication if this is just a “job” or if it is something they really see themselves wanting to do longer-term.
I also like to ask what their manager would say they do best and need to work on the most.
After your phone interview, you can decide if you want to bring the candidate in for a face-to-face interview.
How To Conduct Face-To-Face Interviews
Conducting interviews well is no easy task. Your goal is to get into the hearts and minds of your candidates, because you want someone who will do a great job, have a great attitude and be passionate about the job, and who will not become your worst nightmare once they are on-board!
There are some very talented interviewees out there who’ve had lots of experience telling potential employers what they want to hear. Your job is to uncover who each candidate really is – without falling prey to their charm. This is critical to protecting yourself, your team members, and your company.
Many of the traditional “behavior-based” questions can be found on the internet, along with the answers employers expect. After attending training on the topic of “motivation-based” interviewing, I have seen excellent results by asking them customized questions regarding a specific obstacle they faced, what actions they took, and what the outcome was.
Before the interview, prepare the room so that it is clean and orderly. Remember, you only get one chance to make a great first impression! Put a sign up on the door so that others know there is an interview in progress and not to disturb you while the door is closed.
Before getting into the practical details, establish rapport with some introductions and small talk. And do not forget to ask your candidate if they’d like a bottle of water or cup of coffee. Introduce them to each interviewer and let them tell him/her what role they play in the company.
The most important skill you need to conduct an interview is being able to listen. Use the 80/20 rule, and let the candidate do 80% of the talking. The more they talk, the more you are going to learn about them. Do not lead them – verbally or with your body language.
Whether you are conducting an interview face-to-face or over the phone, be sure to let the candidate do most of the talking.
Do not oversell the company or yourself. The whole point of an interview is for you to learn about the candidate and for them to decide if this is going to be a place and team they want to work with.
Be sure to take detailed notes, and to tell the candidate that you will be doing so, so that you can review them later. Make sure they give you real examples of how they specifically handled real-life situations – not theoretical ideals. You want to get to the bottom of who, what, where, when and why.
At the end of the interview, in closing, ask them if there is anything they would like to know more about the company or the position. It is just as important for them to “interview” the company so that they can make a good decision for themselves if you decide to offer them the position. Answer all their questions truthfully.
Then let the candidate know that there are other candidates you are interviewing and when you expect to decide. Then make sure you either call them or send them an email if they are not the candidate you have chosen – this is a common courtesy that too many companies overlook. In this case, silence is deafening if you are the candidate hoping to get the job. If you are not interested, release them to continue their search.
Ask every candidate for the position the exact same questions so that you can compare their answers. If you expand beyond the prepared interview guide and ask an additional question, make sure that you ask other candidates that question too.
Questions to Ask In Every Interview
I am a big fan of Carol Quinn’s system called motivation-based interviewing which has proven very effective in selecting the best, high-performing employees. There are no “yes” or “No” questions – only open-ended ones, where the candidate is required to provide specific examples of what they have done in the past.
Remember, you are looking to gauge critical points like their experience, maturity level, sense of ownership, passion, attitude, locus of control, and honesty. Oftentimes the candidate will give a generic response, hoping to tell you what you want to hear. Don’t let them get away with it.
Ask the first part of the question and let them answer before you move to the follow-up question.
Here are a few of my favorite questions I like to ask in interviews:
1. Tell me about a time when you made a specific mistake at work. What actions did you take? What were the end results?
The way a candidate answers this question will let you know if they are someone who learns from failure and is a smart risk taker. For me, it is a red flag if they say they have never failed at anything. My guess is that they cannot admit that they have failed, and they blame all failures on someone, or something, else.
2. In your last performance evaluation, in which 3 areas were you rated the strongest? Why do you think s/he rated you high? What were the two areas s/he said you needed to improve on? What actions have you taken since?
3. Out of all the jobs you have held, which was your most favorite? Which was your least favorite? Why?
4. Tell us about when you worked for your best boss. What specifically was it that made him/her stand out as the best?
5. Tell us about a specific time when you worked for your worst boss. What did you do to manage the relationship?
One of the major objectives for this question is to find out how the candidate handles authority. Depending on how they answer, you will be able to determine how compatible they are with the style of management in your company, how they deal with bosses they do not like, and whether they can work well with authority figures (you included).
6. Tell us about a specific time when you had to deal with a difficult manager or co-worker. What steps did you take? How did it turn out?
The answer to this question tells you if they are cool under pressure; does not become cynical, moody, or hostile when times are tough; is considered mature; can be counted on to hold things together during tough times; can manage personal stress; is not knocked off balance by the unexpected; does not show frustration when resisted or blocked; is a settling influence in a crisis.
7. What do you see yourself doing 5 years from now? What have you done in the past 12 – 18 months to get yourself there?
This will help you understand the long-term plan for their career and how passionate and driven they are to succeed.
8. Give us a specific example of a difficult or challenging project for which you were responsible. What actions did you take? What was the result?
The answer to this question will tell you if the candidate can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; is not upset when things are up in the air; does not have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.
Like anything else in life, interviewing is a skill that can be developed with the right training and attitude. If you’d like to learn more, check out my ‘Hire the Best and Avoid the Rest’ Free Interview Guide Book.
Better yet, to ensure you are only hiring high performers for your business, every single time, reach out for a complimentary consultation. As an HR consultant, I can train you and your team to conduct better interviews, or even do them for you. I cannot wait to get started.
Team Management