| Learn how to interview effectively. You will learn the | | | | pick real-life scenarios that have actually happened in |
| right combination of questions to use in order to find | | | | their department, as these are the best ways to find |
| the right candidate for your company. Jane and Bob | | | | out how someone would handle that same scenario. |
| have been interviewing to add more members to their | | | | Some great examples: |
| team. They've already looked at the characteristics of | | | | "Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a team |
| the best and brightest and how to determine if a | | | | member. What was the situation, and how did you |
| candidate has those characteristics (and if they even | | | | handle it?¨ "You take over managing a team, and |
| need the best and the brightest). They've also spent | | | | you have two poor performers. They've been passed |
| some time evaluating the organization's current needs | | | | from manager to manager, and now it's your turn. |
| and what kind of employee fits in best with those | | | | What do you do?¨ "Tell me about a time you had to |
| needs. | | | | meet an unrealistic deadline. How did you handle it?¨ |
| Jane and Bob are ready to interview! They take a | | | | "You have a co-worker who is not holding up his end |
| deep breath and jump in. What they sometimes forget | | | | of the project and is causing delays, frustration, and |
| is that interviewing doesn't have to be difficult. They | | | | irritation among other team members. What do you |
| just need to simplify and improve their interviewing | | | | do?¨More great interview questions... |
| techniques. | | | | Jane and Bob love questions that have the applicant |
| Interviewing made simpleFirst, Jane and Bob can't just | | | | think about why she is special, what she has |
| interview for the technical skills they need. Interpersonal | | | | accomplished, and why they should hire her. |
| skills are the key to successful hires. An employee | | | | "If you only had ten minutes to tell me why I should hire |
| with no interpersonal skills won't be an asset to the | | | | you, and there were six other people outside my door, |
| company. Instead, he will be a drain to the rest of the | | | | what would you want me to know about you?" |
| team, and other problems will arise, beyond his abilities | | | | Tell me about your key accomplishments. (Jane and |
| to perform the tasks at hand. | | | | Bob don't distinguish between personal and |
| In the interview... | | | | professional in this question. This question is there to |
| Jane and Bob don't use a standard list of interview | | | | elicit what the candidate thinks are her key |
| questions. Otherwise, they'll be spending all their time | | | | accomplishments.) "If I called your manager and |
| looking at the questions and writing down the answers | | | | coworkers, what would they tell me about you?¨Final |
| instead of truly listening to the candidate. | | | | thoughts from Jane and BobOne of the most difficult |
| They also don't ask yes/no questions; they ask | | | | challenges for leaders is to hire effectively. Often they |
| open-ended questions that require elaboration on the | | | | make the assumption that skills + previous experience |
| part of the candidate. This way, they get a feel for | | | | = a win. One of the biggest lies decision-makers tell |
| what's really going on in the candidate's head. | | | | themselves is that hiring based on skills minimizes the |
| Jane and Bob also ask situational questions to | | | | risk of failure. Relying on skills is a fall-back position for |
| determine how the candidate would handle certain | | | | leaders who don't have the confidence to hire |
| situations. The best questions to develop are those | | | | effectively. |
| that are applicable to the company environment. They | | | | |