Choosing the right employees is critical for your business. When you are expanding and you need help, it is vital to put the right people in place to use their gifts and skills to help you grow. Unfortunately, many employers use outdated management practices when they are looking for new talent. These habits can not only ruin your chances of finding the most qualified people but they can also be a big turn-off, especially for younger candidates. You will have better results and find better people to interview when you do the following:
Do your research
How can you expect your candidates to prepare to interview you when you won’t do the same? It is important for you to know who you are interviewing. There is nothing worse than coming into an interview with an interviewer who has no clue who you are or what you might be able to bring to the table. Spend at least 5 minutes prior to the interview reviewing the things that made that candidate so appealing that you scheduled an interview with them. Read their cover letter, look at their resume and, if you have time, scan their professional social networks like LinkedIn.
Dress the part
It is important to dress for the interviews in a way that is appropriate for your business. While casual might work fine on Fridays, dressing down too much during interviews can leave people with the wrong impression. You would hate to give the idea that it is okay to be casual every day when those outfits are only okay on certain days. Dress the way that you would expect your employees to dress. You don’t need a suit and tie necessarily unless that level of business dress is mandatory at your business.
Don’t overdo the cologne or perfume
Did you know that wearing the right fragrance can actually help put others around you at ease? Interviewing for a new job can leave some people feeling a little anxious. Put on a light spray of Eternity cologne, Chanel No. 5 or something like Dior Sauvage. These can help your candidates relax more and have a better interview. The important thing to remember is that less is more. You don’t want to drench yourself in perfume or cologne on the day you are doing interviews. Those scents can become overwhelming in a small office or conference room and can have the opposite effect.
Don’t bad mouth former employees
There is a way to discuss former employees and there is a way not to. Don’t be the manager who goes on a rant about how bad the other guy was. If the reason that the position is open is that the person was fired or left for reasons that were less than good, address it quickly and professionally. You will not only look better to your candidates, but you will also avoid potential legal issues if you accidentally disclose too much. Candidates get a glimpse of how they might be treated by your business when you talk about your current staff to them behind closed doors.
Prepare interview questions
Standard interview questions like “where do you see yourself in five years” may not be relevant to the job you are hiring for. Instead, focus your questions on the things that they can offer in the here and now. Let us be real, even the best-laid plans don’t always happen the way we imagine. This kind of terrifying question may get you something boring and rote.
Instead, ask them to talk about a project or task they really enjoyed. Ask them to discuss the things they are passionate about outside of work. Find ways to connect with your candidates by using questions that uncover areas of their life and work that they love and excel in. If they are in front of you, their resume already reflects their ability to do stuff. Your job is to find out if they are the best candidate for your company, the team they will be working with, and the tasks they will be doing.
Read the job description
Do you know how many managers go into a job interview without having read the job description? You don’t want your candidate to be more knowledgeable about the role than you are. Take some time to read through the details, interview your team about their day-to-day tasks and more to be prepared for questions the candidate might ask.
Finding the right people is an important task. Don’t get too hasty and make a rash decision, but also, don’t drag your feet. You will know if someone is right for the job or not.
Article written by Anne Davis
This article was written by the guest author listed at the end of the article.