Hiring Tips

A good employee is the best investment one can make and a bad one may be the worst. One of the problems is that we interview persons about their past experience, how they come across in conversation and then decide whether or not we want to put them on our payroll.

What we do is find ourselves hiring on talent (the skills that they tell us they have) and then firing on culture (they don't "fit" into the organization). My best example is that if you ever go to work for a company and your first day there, all everybody talks about is bowling, the bowling team and who bowled what. If you don't bowl find another job, you will never be happy. Listed below are some additional questions you might use to help in your interviewing. The goal is to ask rather specific questions. It is easier to evaluate the answers that way.

1. What did you like best about your last job?
Most people are more prepared to talk about their accomplishments than their attitudes. This question will force the applicant to discuss feeling more than achievements.

2. What did you like least about your last job?
If the applicants answers somewhat match what you are going to require on your job, you will know that this person is wrong for the job.

3. What made you leave your last job?
The applicant will have either concrete reasons or some lame excuses. Remember, it is very difficult to get a true evaluation by calling previous employers. Most of them are prejudiced for or against the applicant or unwilling to give the facts over the phone.

4. If you could have suggested some changes to management at your last job, what would you have suggested?
This measures motivation, intelligence and originality. You want to hire someone who can answer the question with something more than "I don't know".

5. Describe the best boss you ever worked for and why.
This might tell you how you and he are going to get along.

6. Describe the worst boss you ever worked for and why.
If the applicant's worst boss is a lot like you, end of inter

7. What do you feel is your greatest job skill?
See how well the answer matches what you are really looking for.

8. What job accomplishments have you been most proud of?
If an applicant can't give you something that fits where you're going, the person is either too modest or is only interested in a paycheck.

9. Tell me about the ups and downs with your health for the past few years.
This is a much better question than "how is your health" because everyone always answers "Great" when asked about their general health. This might give you more specifics.

These are questions you might add to your own interviewing techniques and help you to make the right decision the first time. There is nothing more aggravating than hiring an employee, whether it's someone to answer the telephone or a head estimator, and then realize that you just can't work with that individual.