Owning a business is one big process. Applying for a loan takes time – though it's faster with Growth Capital Corp. – as do inventory selections, goal setting, you name it.
Something else that rarely happens overnight is hiring the right workers. The process can be tricky because you're ultimately determining a candidate's chances at success based on nothing more than a resume and a 30-minute interview. This may explain why almost 3 in every 4 employers say they've hired someone that didn't work out, according to a recent Harris Poll commissioned by CareerBuilder. Indeed, in 2016, bad hires wound up costing companies nearly $15,000, meaning that average for each individual shown the door.
Your success at landing the right person improves, however, by following a few guidelines, offered by human resources expert and CEO Bill Green.
1. Don't stray from the question script
No two candidates are alike, so the flow of an interview is subject to change. However, do everything you can to ensure you ask the same questions, regardless of who is sitting across from you, Green advised.
"Interviewing is a science, which means to compare your findings, you have to keep at least one variable constant, Green wrote for Inc. "By asking different candidates different questions, you're removing your ability to weigh them side by side."
2. Ask a mixed bag of questions
Answers come in different packages, and so should questions. Green recommended posing a variety of inquiries, ideally open-ended, close-ended and leading. Mixing them up can give you an idea of how the person reaches his or her conclusions and how much thought is put into it. This provides a window into their critical-thinking skills.
3. Keep questions germane
Queries can run the gamut and easily get off track, depending on their answers. Green advised confining questions to those that are specific to the job the applicant is interested in. If it doesn't apply, don't ask it.
4. Nix subjective questions
Everyone has opinions, whether on issues they're informed on or otherwise. If you can help it, though, ensure that the applicant's thoughts are kept private by steering clear of questions that would cause them to opine.
"Opinion-based questions get you nowhere in interviews," Green warned. "What you're looking to understand is a candidate's experience and, more important, his or her behavior. Opinion questions do not do a good job of predicting future behavior."
5. Don't over-rely on applicant's educational background
Graduate degrees are impressive and make for good fodder on resumes. Still, it offers little evidence regarding adeptness for the role you're looking to fill. Instead, Green recommended putting more reliance on what the person knows about your company. This reveals more about competency by determining whether the applicant has done his or her research.
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