by Beth | May 9, 2012 | Employee Hiring, Interview Process, Selecting Good Candidates
Last weekend, my 11 year old daughter Katy flew on an airplane BY HERSELF for the very first time. I was a nervous wreck! I had a hard time focusing on work…. I kept checking my phone to see if I had messages from her saying that she had landed safely. Katy, of course, was fine. In fact, she had a great time during her first solo flight and learned a valuable lesson in independence. I realized the more she can do for herself, the better equipped she will be in the future when dealing with unexpected situations.
Now you may ask what any of this has to do with interviewing. As I impatiently waited for the phone to ring, I had a realization that I need to provide my clients with the same level of independence. While I certainly adore helping each of my clients interview for their next great employee, I also realize that I need to get them better prepared to do interviewing all by themselves. Again, the more prepared they are in their businesses, the easier it is to handle unexpected personnel issues.
In the past, my typical process was to create and submit job ads, help develop job descriptions, vet interview candidates, schedule interview times, and then perform the actual interviews in front of my client. We would then do a “dash board” review in between interviews to uncover what we learned from each candidate, based on speech patterns, phrasing, and responses to my A-list candidate questions. Rarely, did I actually hand the interview process over to my client. They have certainly learned from the experience as 91% of the time, they retained the ideal employee they were seeking. But I realize that my mission with A-list Interviews is to transform the world through the interview process to create happy, healthy work environments for all. This cannot be achieved until I give my clients the gift of independence by empowering them to run effective interviews long after I am gone.
From now on, I will be including a hand over process where I will be teaching my clients how to interview by themselves through the program I have developed called “7 Steps to Amazing Employees”. I have seen this program work successfully in all walks of business so I am excited to help my clients develop their own comfort levels around the actual interview process. Now when they fly solo, I will still be a nervous wreck because I really want my clients to succeed, but I will know that I set them up for success and the world will be transformed through the interview process by hundreds of interviewers, not just me. And there is no better feeling than that!
by Beth | Dec 9, 2011 | Selecting Good Candidates
Yesterday, I was screening applicants for a position that requires a high level of attention to detail. Not long into the search, I received a beautifully formatted resume. The candidate had all of the skills that we wanted in a new employee! I opened the cover letter to learn more about this bright prospect. The opening sentence said “I am responding to your add…”
The question then becomes do I overlook one small spelling error that spell check would not have caught or do I pass up this well qualified individual for a simple mistake. When screening for a position that will require analysis and detailed reporting, one small mistake could cost a company thousands. The error to proof read made by this candidate stands out so magnificently that I had to pass them up.
So much of pre-screening can be subjective. When making the final call, compare the resume to all required skills, not just the technical set listed on the resume. I would definitely not “add” this individual to the team.
by Beth | Nov 29, 2011 | Employee Hiring, Selecting Good Candidates
If you have read a women’s magazine, there always seems to be an article about lying in a relationship. “Little white lies” can often seem harmless enough, but isn’t this really a measurement for integrity and personal responsibility? I’ve often heard from my employers that they are appalled when a candidate exaggerates on their resume. Candidates are advised to be truthful and honest in their representation of themselves.
What happens when a company is lying to the candidate? According to the Reader’s Digest article “Get Hired, Not Fired: 50 Secrets That Your HR Person Won’t Tell You”, company personnel are lying to candidates too. For example, here are two excerpts from the Reader’s Digest article:
“Background checks are expensive. Sometimes we bluff, get you the fill out the form and don’t run it,” states Cynthia Shapiro, former human resource executive and author.
“Sometimes, we’ll tell you we ended up hiring someone internally- even if we didn’t- just to get you off our backs.” HR rep at a Fortune 500 Financial services Firm
At the end of the day, if lying is a standard practice in your company, you will not be able to hire good people and expect them to stay. Run a strategic, well defined interview process. Be upfront and completely committed to a healthy environment for your employees based on truth telling. The rewards will far outweigh any benefit you may have received by lying to your people.
by Beth | Nov 25, 2011 | Employee Hiring, Selecting Good Candidates
A client of mine and I were interviewing a few weeks ago, and a very bright, savvy woman began telling us how this job was “beneath” her. She mentioned “This job is obviously less than my skill set.” Then, though the job ad clearly stated the salary range, she asked for a 20-30% increase. The salary conversation wasn’t what lost her the job however. My client would have gladly negotiated the money if she had been the right candidate.
What I find in my work as an interviewer is that candidates who really don’t want the job that you are offering will spend lots of time and energy focused on money. For the candidate that really wants the job, money is hardly ever the top priority, especially when the salary is clearly stated up front.
When this very talented woman finds the job that she really wants, she will be dynamic- no doubt, and money won’t be an issue for either side.
by Beth | 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.
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.
Last weekend, my 11 year old daughter Katy flew on an airplane BY HERSELF for the very first time. I was a nervous wreck! I had a hard time focusing on work…. I kept checking my phone to see if I had messages from her saying that she had landed safely. Katy, of course, was fine. In fact, she had a great time during her first solo flight and learned a valuable lesson in independence. I realized the more she can do for herself, the better equipped she will be in the future when dealing with unexpected situations.