Grab this tool to navigate your way through the interview journey

There are some managers who are like early explorers when it comes to interviewing. They head off not knowing where they are going and are unsure where they are when they arrive.

Without the benefits of navigational charts, Google maps or GPS back in 1492, Christopher Columbus can be forgiven for his erroneous conclusion after sighting a Caribbean island that “This must be India. And those people over there are Indians.”

Or, in the words of our modern-day wandering interviewer, “That sounded like a good answer. Let’s hire her.”

There is a better way. You can create a tool that will help you find your way through the hiring process. For every question you will ask, contemplate how candidates might answer. What would an unsatisfactory answer sound like? An acceptable answer? An outstanding answer, such as what you might hear from a top performer.

Do more than imagine what they could say. Write down what you believe an unsatisfactory, acceptable and outstanding (top performer) answer would include. Involve members of your interview panel in this process, debating what would be unsatisfactory, acceptable and outstanding, before agreeing on criteria prior to interviewing the first candidate.

Assign a numerical value to each criteria statement: 1 for unsatisfactory, 3 for acceptable and 5 for outstanding. The 5-point scale enables you to give a candidate credit for an answer that is better than unsatisfactory, but still not up to the acceptable standard (score it as a 2) or not outstanding, but more than acceptable (4).

By defining what is unsatisfactory, acceptable or outstanding before meeting with candidates, you will make the process more objective. Responses can be measured against the pre-established criteria. By focusing on the criteria, you are better able to assess the content of the candidates’ answers and less on how it’s delivered. Candidates who do not interview well (shy, nervous, reluctant to blow their own horn) but have done the right things the right way (i.e. how your top performers do it) will be at less of a disadvantage when compared to other more articulate and outgoing candidates.

Here is an example of a question and its criteria-based rating scale:

“Describe a time when several people or tasks required your attention at the same time.”

1: No defined process for setting priorities; relies on others to set priorities.

3: Able to set priorities based on established criteria, but unable/unwilling to revise priorities based on new requests.

5: Sets priorities, but understands that interruptions occur and that there will be a need to reset priorities. Accepts this and is able to reset priorities without “stressing out” about it. If needed, will renegotiate timelines with boss.

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During my Interview Right to Hire Right workshop, participants journey through the process from determining what competencies new hires should possess, to writing and asking questions the right way to gather evidence that leads to making the right hiring decisions. i.e. Has the candidate done the right things the right way in their previous jobs? Additionally they’ll receive information that will strengthen their interviewing skills: how to avoid asking illegal questions, how to keep interviews on track, how to probe for additional information and how to gather useful information when conducting reference checks. Contact me now to schedule an Interview Right to Hire Right workshop for your leaders. (780) 433-1443 or nmscott@telus.net.