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Boxers versus Briefs

by | Nov 18, 2011 | Adventures in Interviewing

As I sat at the interviewing table looking out the window, a driver in large brand new pickup truck came squealing into the parking lot, veered into a parking spot and slammed on his brakes. He threw open his door, climbed down from the truck and dropped his pants. He was wearing boxers and an undershirt. He removed a collared, button down shirt from a package, threw it over his shoulders, and proceeded to tuck it in, never knowing that he had an audience.  As he ran in the door, apologizing that he was late, I realized this gentleman was our interviewee. He continued to button his shirt throughout the interview, stayed for 5 minutes then declared that he wasn’t interested in this job and left. 

We can really appreciate that he came to the interview to let us know his thoughts on the job. He didn’t just blow off the interview, which shockingly happens a lot. While he at least made an appearance, I doubt it was the appearance he intended. When examining candidates for your open job position, watch for clues in their behavior to tell you the type of employee you will be hiring. This gentleman was a good example of someone who may struggle with organization, time keeping and professional appearance.  

The Power Is One Sided

by | Nov 15, 2011 | Interview Process

Several people have recommended that I write a blog, and I resisted it for a long time. I worried that I would sound flippant by discussing what I see every day in the interviewing world. What I have discovered is that sharing the stories of humanity that naturally occur during the interview process is actually helping. Interviewing is one of the rare instances where power is completely one-sided. The interviewer completely holds the fate of the candidate in their hands. Have the utmost respect for candidates because usually they have no idea what the interviewer is looking for. Treat your candidates with the best care you can give them- without them, where would you be?

Colin Powell’s Selection Advice

by | Nov 11, 2011 | Employee Hiring, Interview Techniques, Selecting Good Candidates

“Powell’s Rules for Picking People” – Look for intelligence and judgment and, most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done.”

In theory, this sounds like amazing advice. Focus on the person’s attributes as opposed to their experience and you will find a great employee. But in practice, how can you tell in a 15 minute interview if a person has integrity? This is the age old question that keeps great leaders up at night, worrying that they may not have selected the right people. In a well defined strategic interview, integrity, drive and loyalty are fairly easy to spot. Here are 4 ways to determine if a person has integrity, defined as “Doing what you say you are going to do, when you say you are going to do it.”

Following the directions set forth in the ad. If you ask for a cover letter, a resume and the job title in the subject line, then only interview those who followed all of the directions. If they don’t follow directions in the interview process, they won’t do it once they have direct deposit. The stakes aren’t nearly as high once they get the job.

Meeting Deadlines. An interview is not only the opportunity for a candidate to shine, but it is also a deadline that you can use to measure integrity. Did they show up on time? Are they prepared? Did they do research on the company? If not, then the chances of them being prepared once they get the job are obvious. Again, the stakes aren’t nearly as high, once they get the job.

Homework Assignments. I was in a position one time where a client of mine really wanted to hire a person that I didn’t want him to hire. We agreed to give this candidate a homework assignment and a third interview to see how well she performed. She blew it. Her assignment had spelling errors, grammar errors, wrinkled paper, and wrong information. Her energy level was low at the third interview, and she had little enthusiasm for the task at hand. She clearly didn’t want the job.

Follow Up. I am truly surprised at how rare it is for me to hear a candidate say “I really want this job. What do I have to do to get it?” A simple thank you email works really well to determine a person’s drive and desire for a position. With all of the information out there about how to WOW hiring managers, many people simply don’t, especially for a position that is not a good fit on some level. Do not ignore the signs that a candidate doesn’t want the job, even if they are perfectly qualified.

At A-list Interviews, our entire Response Analysis System is specifically designed to screen candidates based on integrity with 91% retention rate after a year. Colin Powell is on to something. Let us teach you what it is.

Barbara Walters and I have the same job title, but not the same job.

by | Nov 11, 2011 | Hiring Managers

Barbara Walters is one of the best interviewers in the world, bar none. She is prepared, she does her research, and people tell her things that they don’t tell anyone else. Charlie Rose is another great example of an amazing interviewer. He asks probing questions, and then he is amazing at letting the conversation take its course.
I am also an interviewer, but my job is vastly different from Ms. Walters for one reason: the power difference between the interviewer and a candidate is one sided for the interviewer. Barbara Walters is a powerhouse in her own right, and yet, the people that she interviews run countries. There isn’t a large power difference on her side. They aren’t looking to her to provide them a lively hood, and really, she looks to THEM for her lively hood.
When a hiring manager is interviewing someone, they typically don’t understand the enormous power that they have over their candidates, and when you don’t understand the dynamic between two people, you can’t make effective hiring decisions.

The “Winker”

by | Nov 10, 2011 | Interview Process, Selecting Good Candidates

Last summer, I was knee deep in the interviewing process for one of my clients. We had been through several candidates looking for the perfect A-list player for their team. The last interview of the day looked incredibly promising! The woman who sat across form us was qualified, both technically and culturally. As the candidate began asking her questions, she leaned over and winked at my client!

In my line of work as an interviewer, I see way more sexual inappropriateness from women than I do from men. If you as the employer are uncomfortable in the interview, then you will really be uncomfortable when they are on your payroll, no matter how “qualified” they are.