A while ago, I interviewed 14 different candidates with one of my clients. Exhausted, my clients looked over at me with wide eyes and said "How do you DO this all day?" My answer? Because I love it! I love the interview process; especially when I see the light bulb go off for my client during the process. They get it. They have made a great choice, and they know it. The candidate is also happy because the client is sure of their choice.
I recently followed up with another client of mine. I have helped them hire many people for a variety of different positions. When asked how everyone was doing, their response was "All of our people are great. Thanks so much for your help!"
So why is the interview process so hard? The biggest reason I have seen in my experience is that the interview team is not prepared. A lot of work that must happen long before posting that job ad. Keep in mind:
1. You can't get what you want, unless you know what it is.
2. Your team has to be prepared, understanding who is responsible for the variety of tasks & roles necessary in the interview process.
3. An interview is an interaction unlike any other in our culture. You can't just wing it and expect it to work.
Put in the time upfront to really examine what your ideal candidate looks like and to prepare your team. It will be well worth it in the end.
However, being prepared for your interview process isn't the only necessary task, showing up for the interview process is another issue I've encountered with clients. 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, as a colossal waste of time because it is generally not done well. They are, as we've seen before, 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.
Whether it's preparing for, or simply showing up for, the interview process, putting in the work ahead of time is sure to pay off later in a successful hire. Happy Hiring!
I recently followed up with another client of mine. I have helped them hire many people for a variety of different positions. When asked how everyone was doing, their response was "All of our people are great. Thanks so much for your help!"
So why is the interview process so hard? The biggest reason I have seen in my experience is that the interview team is not prepared. A lot of work that must happen long before posting that job ad. Keep in mind:
1. You can't get what you want, unless you know what it is.
2. Your team has to be prepared, understanding who is responsible for the variety of tasks & roles necessary in the interview process.
3. An interview is an interaction unlike any other in our culture. You can't just wing it and expect it to work.
Put in the time upfront to really examine what your ideal candidate looks like and to prepare your team. It will be well worth it in the end.
However, being prepared for your interview process isn't the only necessary task, showing up for the interview process is another issue I've encountered with clients. 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, as a colossal waste of time because it is generally not done well. They are, as we've seen before, 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.
Whether it's preparing for, or simply showing up for, the interview process, putting in the work ahead of time is sure to pay off later in a successful hire. Happy Hiring!
Beth Smith graduated from the University of Texas in 1995 with degrees in History and Social Work, a minor in English, and additional course work in psychology, philosophy and child development. She has won awards for Women Who Make a Difference in Boulder, Business Owner of the Year, and Certificates of Service for The Hill Alliance and The Responsible Hospitality Group. Beth developed the Response Analysis System™ that has proven effective with 91% of hires still employed by the company after 12 months. Beth Smith has conducted thousands of interviews using her proprietary Response Analysis System™.
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