by Beth | Dec 22, 2011 | Adventures in Interviewing
When I interview 14 people in a day and write 2-3 pages worth of notes on each, my fingers can get really stiff. I will bend them a few times and shake them out, causing the knuckles to pop occasionally. Last week in an interview with a hiring manager, I was in the middle of asking my questions and my fingers popped. The candidate sitting across from me reached over to hold my hand and shouted “DON’T POP YOUR KNUCKLES! Ewwwwww!”
Now, I get that some people are offended by knuckle popping and I do my best to keep it to a minimum. This candidate however didn’t even say please or thank you with her request, which was presented to me at the top of her lungs. If she is willing to yell at me in front of her potential boss, imagine what she might do to your customers. EWWWW!
by Beth | Dec 21, 2011 | Interview Process
Why do employers ask candidates for salary histories? I did some research and found out there are a few reasons. 1) If a candidate is taking too large of a pay cut, then it CAN lead to job dissatisfaction. 2) Some employers think that steady increases in salary prove a candidates’ competency. 3) Some employers want to see if a candidate is requesting the same salary range that the company is providing.
The facts are: 1) People take pay cuts all the time and are happier. Not all are dissatisfied. 2) Several studies have proven that money isn’t always what motivates people. A steady increase in salary could prove a person’s passion for one’s job. 3) If you want to know what people are making, then get a more global sense of it by going to salary.com or a comparable website.
Here are my thoughts. A person’s salary is confidential and private. To exclude a person from applying for a position because they won’t disclose their salary is prejudicial and biased. To base a hiring decision on salary requirements may prevent you from finding an excellent employee.
by Beth | Dec 20, 2011 | Interview Process
I recently talked to a client who said “Just send me your top 5 people.” Well, I can’t, and here is why: NO ONE can take the place of the hiring manager in the interview process. They know too much about the department or company, and their knowledge can not be duplicated or ignored. And yet, the people that I talk to would rather have a tooth pulled than conduct an interview. Why? Because they have never been trained. They view it, and rightly so, and a colossal waste of time because it is generally not done well. They are unprepared.
Martin Yates in his book, Hiring and Keeping the Best, calls interviewing “a dirty secret.” We expect hiring managers to put a team of people together, we hold them accountable, and then we are shocked when they aren’t successful. If you want a team to be effective, you must concentrate your efforts on an effective interview process, including training the people who will be responsible for the hiring. Otherwise, just flip a coin and call it good.
by Beth | Dec 19, 2011 | Interview Process
So you have a leaky faucet. It drips, drips, drips until eventually you have allowed a corroded pipe and a higher water bill. Not investing in the development of your interview process can work in much the same way. 
The overall health of your company relies on capable people. The actual hiring of these people is a simple yes or no question. The real work of staffing begins with a strategic interview process and a well trained interviewer. Without this, you may begin to erode the inner workings of your company.
- Begin with the job ad. Really describe the ideal person for the job.
- Create a new job description
- Select and prep the interview team
- Prepare a communication process that is respectful to candidates.
- Determine criteria for selecting the top candidate and define a system to communicate with those who were not chosen.
By approaching your new hire from a well defined and strategic position, you will make better decisions and hire staff that will strengthen your company. Any process that skips these critical steps will simply corroded your pipes. Drip, drip, drip.
by Beth | Dec 16, 2011 | Employee Hiring
When my daughter was 5 years old, she asked me if I believed in Santa Claus. I said, “Of Course! Why?” She said to me “Really, Mom. Flying reindeer?”
Last month in the Denver Post, there was an article about a successful company trying to fill several open positions for their company. The woman interviewed commented “On the first day, I was expecting 40 people to show up, one showed up…I think now it is becoming almost easier to stay at home and accept an unemployment check than it is to get out there and work.”
First, I wonder how on earth this woman expected to interview 40 people in one day. This means that these candidates didn’t have a specific time to come in for their interview. On my busiest day, I will interview 15 people, so logistically it simply doesn’t make sense.
Second, the myth that people sit back and milk unemployment benefits is simply not true. Now do we have folks in this country who scam the government for unemployment money? Of course. Do all of them? Of course not. Being on unemployment is stressful; just ask anyone who is has ever received unemployment.
Third, I felt very sympathetic towards this woman. She is overworked, overwhelmed, and doesn’t believe that there is help for her. What an awful position to be in as a business owner.
At A-list Interviews we begin with the ideal candidate in mind, so that every part of the process gets you closer to your best candidate. But you, as the owner or hiring manager, must believe that the employee you want exists. When you believe, miracles can happen.
When I interview 14 people in a day and write 2-3 pages worth of notes on each, my fingers can get really stiff. I will bend them a few times and shake them out, causing the knuckles to pop occasionally. Last week in an interview with a hiring manager, I was in the middle of asking my questions and my fingers popped. The candidate sitting across from me reached over to hold my hand and shouted “DON’T POP YOUR KNUCKLES! Ewwwwww!”
