Employers go through dozens of job applicants every year, most of which end up not working out. In a time when candidates are given all the tools to beautify and polish their CVs, raw talent and relevant experience quite often take the backseat. Fortunately, there are filters you can use during the interview process to make filing through applicants more efficient. Here are four things you should know before interviewing new staff.
Know what you need
It’s not enough to just know what the job position in need of being filled is. You have to know what specific skill sets and expertise will bring your business forward. Define what personal traits you truly need in the new staff member who will fill the position. A customer service representative position for instance should be filled by someone who has previous experience dealing with customers, but also have strong interpersonal skills to deal with different types of clientele. You have to find the balance between what the necessary skills are and what personal traits will be valued.
Know their background
Personal and professional backgrounds shape a person. Where the candidate grew up and where they’ve spent most of their life in can give you a clue as to what kind of mindset and personality they bring to the company. The industries they’ve operated in and gained experienced from also indicate their competence and potential contributions to the company’s future. According to Bachus & Schanker Law you can’t discriminate based on many of these factors, but they can inform you which candidates will likely be the best fit overall.
Know their record
Most CVs won’t have specific numbers of what the person has achieved throughout their career. For a position in web development, for instance, know how many websites and web-related projects the candidate has worked on in the past, how many failed and how many succeeded, and so forth. Statistics are a much reliable basis for gauging a candidate’s readiness for the job, as well as their competitive edge against other job candidates. It’s a quantifiable metric that doesn’t just shower you with vague and rundown phrases like, “Competence in the industry as proven by previous work in…”
Know how they handle stress
The ability to deal with stressers and still operate with a clear mind is a discerning trait of a great candidate. Before interviewing people, submit them to an uncomfortable situation, such as throwing curveball questions irrelevant to the job position, and so on. See how they react to a stressful question and what their firsts instincts are.
Job applicants are not the only ones who need to be prepared. A successful interview process is a two-way street that requires both parties involved to be well-prepared in advance. As an employer, make sure to know the things above before interviewing anyone.
What else should employers know before interviewing new staff? Tell us in the comments below.
Leave a Reply