Interviewing for Great Employees: Part I

A good interview should not only give you a sense of what the applicant has done, but show you what they're capable of doing.

You're also trying to see how well you, other staff and your customers could work with this person, and how much value she/he will add to your company.

An organization is only as good as its people. That's why it's better to search thoroughly for the right candidate, or wait for one to come along, rather than hire somebody now who might not be best for the job. It may increase your training costs and supervisory time, but that's better than losing customers and business.

Questions to Ask

Ask questions that are directly job related (e.g.: An employee would have to be 19 in order to serve liquor in the province of British Columbia). Personal information can be useful, but generally, a question is inappropriate if it does not relate to the employee's work background or job performance.

Candidates will come prepared to show you what they think you want to see, so ask questions that will reveal the truth.

Six ways to get useful information:

1. Tell me a little about yourself.
   This is an easy way to start the interview because it opens up the conversation and leads to further questioning. You'll start to see if the person is suitable for the job, and learn what she/he feels is important.

   You don't want to hear "I'm 25 and I have two brothers," or "there's really not much to tell." You want to hear job-related information such as education, work experience, ambition, career goals, etc.

2. Why are you interested in this job?
   You don't want to hear why the applicant needs a pay cheque, or that they simply like the area. You want to know why she/he is after this job with your company.

3. What experience do you have that prepares you for this position?
   Listen for a clear explanation of why the applicant is right for the job. They should tell you about relevant experience and interests.

   Even a recent grad with no practical experience can show they are somewhat prepared, by mentioning special projects and group work, etc.

4. What are your interests outside of work?
   Again, look for job-related experience and find out about any potential conflicts with the job. For example, you don't want to hear that the candidate is trying to set up his or her own business and needs this job to raise capital.

   You'd want to hear that she/he is involved in a professional association and enjoys learning more about this line of work.

5. What areas of work have caused you difficulty in the past?
   This will indicate how well the person might fit in the job. If a candidate tells you "I get bored easily," she/he might not be suitable for repetitive work like line assembly, etc. However, that same weakness would be strength in a job that involves a great deal of change on a regular basis.

   Most candidates are prepared to answer this question, so follow up by asking for "an example of how this weakness affected you on the job and what you did to overcome it."

6. How do you handle conflict management?
   Ask the candidate to describe a case where she/he dealt with a workplace conflict. Ask for real examples of how the conflict was handled and discuss the outcomes.