Hiring the best is your most important task.
– Bill Gates
The stage can be set beautifully. You have exactly what people want, when they need it and at the price they are willing to pay. You can do all these great strategies and still fall short as a leader if you don’t have the right team. Finding the best people can be a challenge that may seem like it escapes us often. Take solace in knowing that the problem is not unique to you. Most organizations use out of date interview questions or don’t train their people on how to interview for the best talent. So how do we find the best talent?
Ask the right kind of questions
We often unknowingly ask questions that actually help the candidate and not us as interviewers. “Tell me a time you went over the top to help someone,” or “Tell me about when you delighted a guest,” seem like good questions because we want to see how they interact with others. The problem is that even the worst employee has one story of when they made someone happy. Ask questions that dig into the areas of motivation, skill, and passion. Look at your current list of questions and think through it from a candidate perspective. Could you dodge the question or answer it easily without being the candidate that you need?
If you need help coming up with a good interview guide or just tips in general, I would recommend my friends at Hire Authority There you can find a great book on interviewing, as well as courses that can help you be a better interviewer. Check out the intro video and they have the first chapter of the book for free there.
Have your safety net
I always recommend interviewing with someone else present. (virtually or in person) Not only does this protect you from a legal standpoint, it also gives you additional insight and perspective into the candidate. My personal preference is that the person sitting in with me is not like me. They can be at a different life stage, gender, career stage and/or tenure. If I bring in someone similar to myself, I lose the advantage of a different perspective. The additional bonus is that the interview can be used as a development tool for the up and coming leader. You may not have been shown how to conduct a great interview, but you can pass on the right habits and strategies to others.
If you have high turnover or are disappointed once the person joins the team you may have an interview problem. You are looking for that person that is the trifecta of a great candidate. They have the skill set you need, they are highly self-motivated and the show passion for their job and for life. Evaluate your process and questions to ensure that you are bringing the best people as possible. Your team is counting on you!
Make a better tomorrow.
-ZH