by Beth | 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.
by Beth | 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.
by Beth | Nov 9, 2011 | Selecting Good Candidates
When entrepreneurs first begin their businesses, they often rely on what I call “The Friends & Family Plan”. One client even confessed that he used to get on the phone and call his friends to find out who needs a job and determine how quickly they could start. While he readily admitted that this process was ineffective, he simply did not know how else to hire.
As the business begins to grow, it is critical to evolve out of the thinking that just because you know an individual, does not mean that they will work well with you or your company. While the modicum of trust may ease your mind temporarily, this path often leads to a mis-hire, decreased productivity and a destroyed friendship.
Learning and practicing a well defined interview process in lieu of a friends and family call will contribute to your bottom line and save a few relationships along the way.
by Beth | Nov 4, 2011 | Adventures in Interviewing, Selecting Good Candidates
I recently interviewed a candidate who sat across from me with his seat pushed back from the table and a foot on the seat of the chair. During the interview, he told me that his current boss was “annoying, but it is probably because I slept with her.”
The inappropriate disclosure of his sexual activities coupled with overly casual body language was enough to tell me he was not our guy. Don’t underestimate what body language can tell you.
by Beth | Nov 4, 2011 | Adventures in Interviewing, Employee Hiring
I interviewed a candidate that disclosed to us that the current boss is going through a bankruptcy. The candidate supplied us with his prior employers name, address and telephone number. While this seemed rather inappropriate, an even bigger offense is the fact that the candidate worked in a financial industry and had licenses which prevented him by law from disclosing someone else’s financial situation.
When I pointed this out, my client said “So we can’t trust that this candidate won’t talk about our clients’ financial situations.” My client is right. Disparaging a former boss or co-worker is a red flag in any interview process, no matter what industry or position. Discussing information that is protected by law is not only illegal; it is also unethical.
