In August I launched Elevated HR Solutions as it is today (a reactive, outsourced approach to human resources for small to medium sized businesses) but during that time I've been applying to jobs in the Human Resources field for 2 reasons:
1.) I needed an ego boost to see if I could get the job (am as I good as I think I am? ;)
2.) Everything I know has been self-taught in a lot of ways (I faked it till I made it) and wanted to learn what big corporations did in the interview process that would be different than mine
So here's the confession: After 11 resumes sent out, 9 phone interviews, 7 in-person interviews resulted in 5 job offers. Boo-yah! And I never intended to take one of them! (Pssst - that's the confession!)
The Worst Interview: I'd love to tell you who it was with but I think that may just be mean spirited. I didn't get the job offer either, so it could also be seen as me retaliating (which I'm not - I swear!) After the walk through the back-office, which seemed eerily like a walk-of-shame (employees not smiling, not wanting to make eye contact, no personal possessions on any desk) I had already made the decision this was not a place I wanted to work...ever. As I sat down in front of two women doing the interview, who also could not hold eye contact with me, I knew I too, was written off immediately. And then the scoring began for each of my answers. Since they weren't looking at me, I could also glance at their sheets and see they were scoring me on a scale of 1 to 5. And for each question I gave, I saw my score. And while I did okay on some questions, I had to laugh at the situation. All I could think was, "Note to self: This is how NOT to do an interview." The funniest part was the email rejection letter I received had the wrong name in it. Dear Sasha... We regret to inform you that...Classy.
The Best Job Interview: Admittedly, it was exactly the type of organization I could see myself working at, so it was easy to be enthusiastic and do the research before hand. They were also super bummed that I turned them down and almost felt duped when they found out the truth (I felt I had to tell them at the end!) A couple of things came out of it for me: I got to be interviewed by potential clients (in other words, department heads as well as employees outside of the HR department), they asked me to put a presentation together about myself and my style (rather than them asking canned questions and me firing out canned answers), they took me for a tour prior to my presentation and had me speak to several others that weren't involved in the presentation, and finally at the end when I asked if there were any questions, I could tell they had done their research on ME! They had actually read my twitter account, my blog and checked out my LinkedIn page. It felt great knowing they were investing themselves in the process as much as I was investing myself into theirs.
It's good to know that great organizations exist out there - and that there are those company's that are committed to the recruitment process. I've said it before and I'll say it again (and I'm sure I got this quote from some one else) - you take years before you decide to make a decision on a potential spouse, why would you rush the recruitment decision when you will be spending 40 hours+ a week with this person? Be creative with your approach to hiring - especially if fit is what is most important. Get the community involved in the hiring approach and your results will be worth it in the end.
By the way - I couldn't convince the company that outsourcing was the way to go...but I did make a good impression on the manager and she still calls me occassionally to see what I would do in certain situations. Because I feel like I owe them something, I never hesitate to answer!
Showing posts with label Recruitment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recruitment. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Elevated HR Solutions: Video Resumes Are Here!
Yup - it's official - I have finally received my first video resume!
Verdict: I LOVE the idea of it. It certainly got my attention (similar to how a heavy stock paper resume that comes to me in the mail still gets me every time!) However, I don't really know very much about the person, so the 5 minute intro wasn't used as well as it could have. But interestingly enough I'm still thinking about him...so much so that I'm writing about him. So whether or not it was good or bad, right now I want to find out more and that's exactly what a job seeker should aim to do!
Perhaps the trend continues or perhaps it will take a while to catch on. I think the key learning out of this for me is this: Job seekers - definitely dare to be different! A foot in the door is better than the door slammed in your face! The best places to work are still tough to get into - if you're the best person for the organization, make it known!
Verdict: I LOVE the idea of it. It certainly got my attention (similar to how a heavy stock paper resume that comes to me in the mail still gets me every time!) However, I don't really know very much about the person, so the 5 minute intro wasn't used as well as it could have. But interestingly enough I'm still thinking about him...so much so that I'm writing about him. So whether or not it was good or bad, right now I want to find out more and that's exactly what a job seeker should aim to do!
Perhaps the trend continues or perhaps it will take a while to catch on. I think the key learning out of this for me is this: Job seekers - definitely dare to be different! A foot in the door is better than the door slammed in your face! The best places to work are still tough to get into - if you're the best person for the organization, make it known!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Elevated HR Solutions: Dare to be different with job postings
So admittedly, I am a total Tony Hsieh worshipper. I am enamoured with his book, "Delivering Happiness", I go to both his sites regularly (DeliveringHappinessBook.com and Zappos.com) and try to read as many of his employee's blogs that I can find. So it's probably not really a surprise to you that I push his book where I can and quote him and his stories regularly, especially when I'm trying to prove to my clients that employee engagement really does lead to higher profits.
If you download the book on your iPod, you will hear Tony actually reading it out loud, but his staff also have been asked to read their emails or passages or thoughts about Zappos intermittenly throughout. One of the excerpts is written and read by their recruitment manager, who prior to joining Zappos was a recruiter and when she joined Zappos she wanted to do anything BUT recruit. That was, until she was given the reigns and recruit in her own way.
When I first started Elevated HR Solutions - I definitely wanted to stay away from recruiting too. I certainly wasn't passionate about it and thought that there were enough of them in Calgary that I didn't need to try and be part of that. However, it always seemed to be something my clients struggled with to do on their own. It was incredibly expensive to get a recruiter to do it for them (typically 15 to 25% of first year salary), they didn't really know how to articulate their cutlure, never mind their job postings and everything was a race for finding talent (taking a bit of time, wasn't really an option). But seeing as I push the necessity of employee engagement in organizations, I realized that it begins with hiring the right people and so...I started recruiting again.
That said - I needed to find a way to get passionate about recruitment and take some risks to fuel that passion. Writing the same old job posting had just gotten old and boring for me. Go to any of the current job sites right now - all the job postings are the same: "Come work for us because our company is great, our leadership is great...yadda yadda yadda." Yawn. I'm bored. There are a few good ones out there though:
Here's a quick and easy piece of advice that isn't really rocket science: your company's culture must be represented in your job ads. It's just that simple. If you want to change your culture, then you need to hire the right people to help you. You need to figure out the culture you want, develop a code, a mantra, a maxim (whatever you want to call it) - and hire to that.
So admittedly, not all clients want to be as out there as my last ad: www.elevatedhr.com/careers.html but I have to say this - I pretty much got the biggest response I have ever gotten from a job posting - and people who weren't even in IT wanted to be in IT because of this ad.
Here are some quotes from emails:
"I'm interested by the tone of the ad on Workopolis and your website. Thanks for the lift to my day" -- Kary
"What a great ad on Workopolis! Creative and foosball – I want to play!" -- Sam
"I was intrigued by your jobs posting, didn't quite understand what you were looking for (i.e. the pulse thing), but again intrigued enough to want to find out more." -- David
It's true - you can't just post an ad and pray that someone applies (I stole that from a conversation I had with Geoff Webb of Radical Recruitment today) because it simply doesn't work that way. You have to build a strategy and if you want a piece of the action when it comes to recruitment sticking to the same old same old doesn't work either. You got to be a little bold and a little bit out there to attract even the talent that IS looking - and then as much as you are talking the talk, you gotta walk the walk in the interview process. A great candidate pool will lead you to not only a great employee, but greater customer service, productivity and last but certainly not least, greater profits.
If you don't believe me - just ask Tony Hsieh what he did to get himself a 1 billion dollar deal with Amazon. He'll say it's the people every time.
If you download the book on your iPod, you will hear Tony actually reading it out loud, but his staff also have been asked to read their emails or passages or thoughts about Zappos intermittenly throughout. One of the excerpts is written and read by their recruitment manager, who prior to joining Zappos was a recruiter and when she joined Zappos she wanted to do anything BUT recruit. That was, until she was given the reigns and recruit in her own way.
When I first started Elevated HR Solutions - I definitely wanted to stay away from recruiting too. I certainly wasn't passionate about it and thought that there were enough of them in Calgary that I didn't need to try and be part of that. However, it always seemed to be something my clients struggled with to do on their own. It was incredibly expensive to get a recruiter to do it for them (typically 15 to 25% of first year salary), they didn't really know how to articulate their cutlure, never mind their job postings and everything was a race for finding talent (taking a bit of time, wasn't really an option). But seeing as I push the necessity of employee engagement in organizations, I realized that it begins with hiring the right people and so...I started recruiting again.
That said - I needed to find a way to get passionate about recruitment and take some risks to fuel that passion. Writing the same old job posting had just gotten old and boring for me. Go to any of the current job sites right now - all the job postings are the same: "Come work for us because our company is great, our leadership is great...yadda yadda yadda." Yawn. I'm bored. There are a few good ones out there though:
Here's a quick and easy piece of advice that isn't really rocket science: your company's culture must be represented in your job ads. It's just that simple. If you want to change your culture, then you need to hire the right people to help you. You need to figure out the culture you want, develop a code, a mantra, a maxim (whatever you want to call it) - and hire to that.
So admittedly, not all clients want to be as out there as my last ad: www.elevatedhr.com/careers.html but I have to say this - I pretty much got the biggest response I have ever gotten from a job posting - and people who weren't even in IT wanted to be in IT because of this ad.
Here are some quotes from emails:
"I'm interested by the tone of the ad on Workopolis and your website. Thanks for the lift to my day" -- Kary
"What a great ad on Workopolis! Creative and foosball – I want to play!" -- Sam
"I was intrigued by your jobs posting, didn't quite understand what you were looking for (i.e. the pulse thing), but again intrigued enough to want to find out more." -- David
It's true - you can't just post an ad and pray that someone applies (I stole that from a conversation I had with Geoff Webb of Radical Recruitment today) because it simply doesn't work that way. You have to build a strategy and if you want a piece of the action when it comes to recruitment sticking to the same old same old doesn't work either. You got to be a little bold and a little bit out there to attract even the talent that IS looking - and then as much as you are talking the talk, you gotta walk the walk in the interview process. A great candidate pool will lead you to not only a great employee, but greater customer service, productivity and last but certainly not least, greater profits.
If you don't believe me - just ask Tony Hsieh what he did to get himself a 1 billion dollar deal with Amazon. He'll say it's the people every time.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Elevated HR Solutions: Titles and Job Postings - Is there something in a name?
When it comes to developing a job posting and asking the question "Does title matter?" it's akin to asking "Does size matter?" The answer is obvious - of course it does!
Here's why:
1.) When people have finally made the decision to start looking for a job, and become an active job seeker rather than a passive job seeker, they go to job sites and start their search. The process is simple: They log onto their search engine or the job site in general and type in the position they are seeking. Initially, the company is not what is important -- they are simply searching for the position that matches their skill sets (fun, innovative companies come second in terms of who they apply to).
2.) People that are currently in junior to intermediate roles are looking for a specific role (typically, a step up). They rarely will take a step down or a step laterally (unless the company they work for is absolutely awful). Most job seekers are looking for that next step in their growth or development. So if they are currently an associate, an advisor, a coordinator etc. they will automatically skim past those same positions posted even if it is a senior position for the company who has posted it.
3.) Anything that asks for more than 5 years of experience IS a senior role which demands higher compensation, higher education and more responsibility. If the position is titled incorrectly, a lower calibre resume will come in for the role causing more work for the recruiting team. Being concise with titles in the job description in comparison to market will help all recruitment efforts.
4.) Even if the title is different internally (for example, one of my clients call their executive assistants "Intuitive Support" (which is awesome)) they certainly didn't post it as such on the job sites. They did explain however in the interview that they like to get creative with titles and that it most likely would switch should the candidate accept the position.
At the end of the day - if you want people to find your posting and have the RIGHT people apply for your role, it has to be easy to search for (in terms of key words). If you have a quirky organization, you can describe that with the design and the words you choose to define the position. But the first goal is reaching the right people.
I'd love to say that I do something different than support "Human Resources" but if I told a potential client that I support "Mortal Assets" (the thesaurus at it's best), they probably would think I was on crack or about to release a take on a famous video game from the early '90's.
http://www.elevatedhr.com/
Here's why:
1.) When people have finally made the decision to start looking for a job, and become an active job seeker rather than a passive job seeker, they go to job sites and start their search. The process is simple: They log onto their search engine or the job site in general and type in the position they are seeking. Initially, the company is not what is important -- they are simply searching for the position that matches their skill sets (fun, innovative companies come second in terms of who they apply to).
2.) People that are currently in junior to intermediate roles are looking for a specific role (typically, a step up). They rarely will take a step down or a step laterally (unless the company they work for is absolutely awful). Most job seekers are looking for that next step in their growth or development. So if they are currently an associate, an advisor, a coordinator etc. they will automatically skim past those same positions posted even if it is a senior position for the company who has posted it.
3.) Anything that asks for more than 5 years of experience IS a senior role which demands higher compensation, higher education and more responsibility. If the position is titled incorrectly, a lower calibre resume will come in for the role causing more work for the recruiting team. Being concise with titles in the job description in comparison to market will help all recruitment efforts.
4.) Even if the title is different internally (for example, one of my clients call their executive assistants "Intuitive Support" (which is awesome)) they certainly didn't post it as such on the job sites. They did explain however in the interview that they like to get creative with titles and that it most likely would switch should the candidate accept the position.
At the end of the day - if you want people to find your posting and have the RIGHT people apply for your role, it has to be easy to search for (in terms of key words). If you have a quirky organization, you can describe that with the design and the words you choose to define the position. But the first goal is reaching the right people.
I'd love to say that I do something different than support "Human Resources" but if I told a potential client that I support "Mortal Assets" (the thesaurus at it's best), they probably would think I was on crack or about to release a take on a famous video game from the early '90's.
http://www.elevatedhr.com/
Monday, December 13, 2010
Elevated HR Solutions: Things you should do if you're looking for a job
Typically, my blog is geared towards management teams and helping them to manage without having to have an HR department on their team when it comes to employee support. But today - after a week of recruiting for one of my clients, I feel I need to do a special PSA to help those that are looking for a job...
In no particular order here are a few of my pet peeves:
1.) If you customize your resume to each job you're applying for (which I recommend) be sure to edit it and get the company / position right. Nothing looks worse than you saying how excited you are to see a posting from Company ABC when really, you're applying to Company XYZ.
2.) Write down the jobs you're applying for. When I call you for a phone interview I shouldn't be the one reminding you of the position you applied for and when. Nothing says "I'm desperate and I'll apply to anything," like "Oh, um, can you remind me the position you're phoning about? Which website was it posted on?"
3.) If you're applying for a position be sure to look at your current facebook profile picture and/or security settings. While WHAT you look like isn't what is being judged, your choice of picture depicting WHO you are IS. One of my applicants was sitting on a toilet (outdoors), pants down etc. While a hilarious picture, it was a judgment call I wasn't comfortable with. Another one put up a December nude male calendar pin-up. Again - what you do on your time is totally up to you. But you're applying for a job. Your choices are being judged. (PS - It's confirmed they are them, because they also leave their profiles quite wide open including city and graduation dates).
Yes - technically - recruiters are not to discriminate based on a picture. Pictures do not determine if a person can do a job or not. Nor do resumes tell a complete story. But I've got one position I'm recruiting for, and have close to 100 applicants. It's pretty entry level so everyone brings the same skill set. I need to start eliminating somehow - this is an easy first choice. Is it right? It doesn't matter.
If I can find you - make sure you make a good first impression.
In no particular order here are a few of my pet peeves:
1.) If you customize your resume to each job you're applying for (which I recommend) be sure to edit it and get the company / position right. Nothing looks worse than you saying how excited you are to see a posting from Company ABC when really, you're applying to Company XYZ.
2.) Write down the jobs you're applying for. When I call you for a phone interview I shouldn't be the one reminding you of the position you applied for and when. Nothing says "I'm desperate and I'll apply to anything," like "Oh, um, can you remind me the position you're phoning about? Which website was it posted on?"
3.) If you're applying for a position be sure to look at your current facebook profile picture and/or security settings. While WHAT you look like isn't what is being judged, your choice of picture depicting WHO you are IS. One of my applicants was sitting on a toilet (outdoors), pants down etc. While a hilarious picture, it was a judgment call I wasn't comfortable with. Another one put up a December nude male calendar pin-up. Again - what you do on your time is totally up to you. But you're applying for a job. Your choices are being judged. (PS - It's confirmed they are them, because they also leave their profiles quite wide open including city and graduation dates).
Yes - technically - recruiters are not to discriminate based on a picture. Pictures do not determine if a person can do a job or not. Nor do resumes tell a complete story. But I've got one position I'm recruiting for, and have close to 100 applicants. It's pretty entry level so everyone brings the same skill set. I need to start eliminating somehow - this is an easy first choice. Is it right? It doesn't matter.
If I can find you - make sure you make a good first impression.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Elevated HR Solutions: Recruiting blunders you need to avoid
If in the next 18 months, you were going to lose 46% of your new hires - would you change something with regards to your recruiting methodology?
Based on a new 3-year study completed by Leadership IQ, this isn't just an anomaly...it's the norm. Surprisingly, only 11% fail due to a lack of technical skills, meaning the candidate's interpersonal skills (or lack thereof) contributed to their failure in the position. (As a side note: The majority of those that fail can't accept feedback, can't manage/understand emotions and lack motivation.)
As per a previous blog I wrote, make sure you understand the questions you are asking and know the answers you are looking for - sticking to this will increase your success rate in finding the right candidate. But there are a few other recruiting blunders you can avoid:
A weak job description/posting. There is an art to this: post too little and a credible candidate is most likely going to look the other way. Instead, you are going to be flooded with unqualified candidates. Post too much: a credible candidate is likely going to get bored just reading it (and may even think they are under qualified for the role.)
The job posting needs to give a good understanding of what the company is like and it needs to balance qualifications and responsibilities of the position, all wrapped up in a tight package.
Speed Interviewing. Unfortunately speed interviewing is not as successful as speed dating (and I guess I don't really know how successful speed dating is either...but I digress.) I know you're busy - but trying to squeeze in a bunch of interviews in between conference call calls, client meetings, employee sessions and networking events is just a recipe for disaster. If you want to really watch out for key signs like motivation, receiving feedback and emotional tendencies you can't be worrying about the next fire-fighting session you're about to encounter.
Taking time to to really analyze the interview afterwards, and write notes about the candidate that will help you reflect later on when selecting the best candidate for the position.
Using only one source. I get it - job boards are expensive. But choosing between workopolis or monster and simply waiting for candidates to come in isn't how you would do sales, so why is it the way you would want to attract a great candidate? Your friend here is SOCIAL MEDIA - twitter, facebook, and their more professional cousin, linkedin, is a great way to advertise (and best of all...it's free!)
Social Media also connects with candidates who aren't really looking, but if they see your tweet, status update, or network activity, they might think twice about it and actually apply.
Keeping "hush-hush" about the position. Sometimes it's part of your strategy to stay quiet about a new position...but for the most part, be open and honest about what you're looking for internally. Not only are some of your best candidates probably sitting right in front of you and ready for the next challenge, your employees are also your walking billboards/advertisements.
Formalize a recruiting referral program, and you will get your employees searching for top notch employees who fit the culture and the mold of the company. Based on experience, most employees won't refer candidates unless they are great, as they are putting their neck on the line for the candidate.
Only hiring for technical ability. As I said above, only 11% failed due to a lack of technical skill. But an amazing "techie" (who knows it) can have enough arrogance to bring down an entire organization. You can train the technical, but it's a lot more difficult to train the interpersonal side.
Why ruin an entire department/organization by bringing in a skilled employee who doesn't realize the size of their ego?
Simply put: recruitment is an art (and even a little bit of a science). It takes time for mastery. If you need help - there are many great professionals out there to support you and if time is of the essence, it's also a great return on investment.
http://www.elevatedhr.com/
Based on a new 3-year study completed by Leadership IQ, this isn't just an anomaly...it's the norm. Surprisingly, only 11% fail due to a lack of technical skills, meaning the candidate's interpersonal skills (or lack thereof) contributed to their failure in the position. (As a side note: The majority of those that fail can't accept feedback, can't manage/understand emotions and lack motivation.)
As per a previous blog I wrote, make sure you understand the questions you are asking and know the answers you are looking for - sticking to this will increase your success rate in finding the right candidate. But there are a few other recruiting blunders you can avoid:
A weak job description/posting. There is an art to this: post too little and a credible candidate is most likely going to look the other way. Instead, you are going to be flooded with unqualified candidates. Post too much: a credible candidate is likely going to get bored just reading it (and may even think they are under qualified for the role.)
The job posting needs to give a good understanding of what the company is like and it needs to balance qualifications and responsibilities of the position, all wrapped up in a tight package.
Speed Interviewing. Unfortunately speed interviewing is not as successful as speed dating (and I guess I don't really know how successful speed dating is either...but I digress.) I know you're busy - but trying to squeeze in a bunch of interviews in between conference call calls, client meetings, employee sessions and networking events is just a recipe for disaster. If you want to really watch out for key signs like motivation, receiving feedback and emotional tendencies you can't be worrying about the next fire-fighting session you're about to encounter.
Taking time to to really analyze the interview afterwards, and write notes about the candidate that will help you reflect later on when selecting the best candidate for the position.
Using only one source. I get it - job boards are expensive. But choosing between workopolis or monster and simply waiting for candidates to come in isn't how you would do sales, so why is it the way you would want to attract a great candidate? Your friend here is SOCIAL MEDIA - twitter, facebook, and their more professional cousin, linkedin, is a great way to advertise (and best of all...it's free!)
Social Media also connects with candidates who aren't really looking, but if they see your tweet, status update, or network activity, they might think twice about it and actually apply.
Keeping "hush-hush" about the position. Sometimes it's part of your strategy to stay quiet about a new position...but for the most part, be open and honest about what you're looking for internally. Not only are some of your best candidates probably sitting right in front of you and ready for the next challenge, your employees are also your walking billboards/advertisements.
Formalize a recruiting referral program, and you will get your employees searching for top notch employees who fit the culture and the mold of the company. Based on experience, most employees won't refer candidates unless they are great, as they are putting their neck on the line for the candidate.
Only hiring for technical ability. As I said above, only 11% failed due to a lack of technical skill. But an amazing "techie" (who knows it) can have enough arrogance to bring down an entire organization. You can train the technical, but it's a lot more difficult to train the interpersonal side.
Why ruin an entire department/organization by bringing in a skilled employee who doesn't realize the size of their ego?
Simply put: recruitment is an art (and even a little bit of a science). It takes time for mastery. If you need help - there are many great professionals out there to support you and if time is of the essence, it's also a great return on investment.
http://www.elevatedhr.com/
Friday, October 1, 2010
What would an HR Blog be without some recruitment tips?
I still remember the first interview I did – was I 19 years old at the time? Trying to pretend I was 30? (Shutter, as I’m now that old…focus…) Anyway, I remember walking in with my list of questions, hair tied back tightly, poised and seven minutes later the interview was done. I didn’t feel good about the questions and worse, I had no idea if the candidate was even any good because I forgot what I was even asking. In addition to that, I hadn’t even bothered to write down what she actually said. Yup, utter disaster. But I did learn a lot. I needed to understand what I was asking and why.
In 2007, I stumbled across the following and have used this as my base ever since. I recruited for many years before it, but I sincerely got better once I implemented this formula.
Question #1: "Where did you get that tie/jacket/purse/blouse?”
Purpose: Develop the rapport needed to get the interview off the ground.
Every interview should begin with an icebreaker. It helps nervous applicants calm down and builds a sense of trust. If you have a 45-minute interview, you should spend at least the first five minutes trying to connect on a neutral topic. Make the person feel at ease and you'll solicit better information—and much more honest responses.
Alternate Version 1: "How about those Flames?”
Alternate Version 2: "Were you affected by the heat wave/cold snap?"
Alternate Version 3: "Did you have a good holiday?"
Question #2: "Talk about a time when you had to overcome major obstacles."
Purpose: Get a clear picture of the candidate's past performance.
Variations on this question should actually comprise your next several questions. Don't hesitate to guide the candidate through the variety of tasks (both tangible and theoretical) necessary to perform the job, and listen carefully to how he or she has handled such challenges. Pay attention to intangibles: some people are better at performing in interviews than on the job. If your candidate continually plays the role of hero or victim, that's a red flag that you're probably not getting the whole story.
Alternate Version 1: "Tell me about a time when you wrote a report that was well received. Why do you think it was successful?"
Alternate Version 2: "Describe a time when you hired (or fired) the wrong person."
Alternate Version 3: "If you had to do that activity again, how would you do it differently?"
Question #3: "What interests you about this position?"
Purpose: Find out how the candidate feels about the job and the company.
People apply for jobs for plenty reasons besides the obvious ones. Asking a candidate why he or she wants the position gives insight into their motivation. The answer may be personal (such as a narrative about what spurred them to seek a new job), or it may connect the candidate to the company: her experience with the brand, the mission statement, or the organization's role in the community. Any of these answers (or some combination) are acceptable—a personal answer can communicate trust, and a connection to the business indicates loyalty and a sense of ownership.
Alternate Version 1: "Where does this job fit into your career path?"
Alternate Version 2: "If you had to convince a friend or colleague to apply for this job, what might you tell them?"
Alternate Version 3: "What motivated you to apply for this job?"
Question #4: "Is there intelligent life in outer space?"
Purpose: Find out what kind of thinker the candidate is and how he deals with surprises.
This is your curveball, designed to make the candidate ad-lib instead of just reciting well-rehearsed answers. How much will he or she play along? As long as it's not too short or too long, virtually any response is a good one. But pay attention to attitude, the way the candidate approaches the problem, and the ease or difficulty they have in coming up with a response.
Alternate Version 1: "How many phone books are there in New York City?"
Alternate Version 2: "How do they get the caramel inside a Caramilk bar?
Alternate Version 3: "Why do people climb mountains?"
Question #5: "Imagine we've just hired you. What's the most important thing on your to-do list on the first day of work?"
Purpose: Learn about the candidate's judgment and decision-making skills.
This is an example of a situational question, which is like a behavioral question in that it's designed to assess judgment, but it's also like a curveball question because it illuminates the candidate's thought process. You want to see whether he demonstrates the competencies and priorities that are important to the job.
Alternate Version 1: "Say a coworker tells you that he submitted phony expense account receipts. Do you tell your boss?"
Alternate Version 2: "How would you handle an employee whose performance is fine but who you know has the potential to do better?"
Alternate Version 3: "What would you do if you got behind schedule with your part of a project?"
Question #6: "Why did you get into this line of work?"
Purpose: Measure the fit between the candidate's values and the culture of your company.
It risks a long, drawn-out answer, but this type of question will help you select candidates that fit your company's culture. It's not about finding people like you, or people with similar backgrounds that led them to your company, but about getting a sense of their values and motivations. Concepts like values and culture can be subjective and difficult to define, but you should be looking for someone whose work ethic, motivations, and methods match the company's. This isn't a quantitative measurement so much as a qualitative one. Coke and Pepsi may seem the same to people outside the soft-drink industry, but each houses people with different approaches to making cola and running a business.
Alternate Version 1: "What do you like best about your current job?"
Alternate Version 2: "When did you realize this would be your career?"
Alternate Version 3: "What keeps you coming to work besides the paycheck?"
Question #7: "But enough about you. What about us?"
Purpose: Find out if the candidate has done his or her homework.
It's a cliché to end an interview with the standard, 'So, any questions?' But the fact remains that you really do want to let the candidate ask a few things of you. Reversing roles communicates that the company seeks an open a dialogue, and it helps you ascertain just how curious and knowledgeable a candidate is about your company. If he doesn't ask any questions about the job or the business, it's a safe bet his heart isn't in it. Listen for insightful questions that demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the circumstances of the job, the company, the competitive landscape, or the industry.
Alternate Version 1: "Where do you think the company should be in ten years?"
Alternate Version 2: "What's your opinion of our new product?"
Alternate Version 3: "Have you seen the company's new ad campaign?"
Finally - there is a debate about what to do when the candidate is a dud - do you keep going and waste both of your time in effort to make the candidate feel good about coming all the way down for an in-person interview or do you just cut your losses early when you know it's a done deal? Personally - when I know it's a done deal, I turn the interview into a commercial for the company...the purpose, turn a dud of a candidate into a walking billboard for how amazing we are. At least I didn't totally waste my time!
http://www.elevatedhr.com/
In 2007, I stumbled across the following and have used this as my base ever since. I recruited for many years before it, but I sincerely got better once I implemented this formula.
Question #1: "Where did you get that tie/jacket/purse/blouse?”
Purpose: Develop the rapport needed to get the interview off the ground.
Every interview should begin with an icebreaker. It helps nervous applicants calm down and builds a sense of trust. If you have a 45-minute interview, you should spend at least the first five minutes trying to connect on a neutral topic. Make the person feel at ease and you'll solicit better information—and much more honest responses.
Alternate Version 1: "How about those Flames?”
Alternate Version 2: "Were you affected by the heat wave/cold snap?"
Alternate Version 3: "Did you have a good holiday?"
Question #2: "Talk about a time when you had to overcome major obstacles."
Purpose: Get a clear picture of the candidate's past performance.
Variations on this question should actually comprise your next several questions. Don't hesitate to guide the candidate through the variety of tasks (both tangible and theoretical) necessary to perform the job, and listen carefully to how he or she has handled such challenges. Pay attention to intangibles: some people are better at performing in interviews than on the job. If your candidate continually plays the role of hero or victim, that's a red flag that you're probably not getting the whole story.
Alternate Version 1: "Tell me about a time when you wrote a report that was well received. Why do you think it was successful?"
Alternate Version 2: "Describe a time when you hired (or fired) the wrong person."
Alternate Version 3: "If you had to do that activity again, how would you do it differently?"
Question #3: "What interests you about this position?"
Purpose: Find out how the candidate feels about the job and the company.
People apply for jobs for plenty reasons besides the obvious ones. Asking a candidate why he or she wants the position gives insight into their motivation. The answer may be personal (such as a narrative about what spurred them to seek a new job), or it may connect the candidate to the company: her experience with the brand, the mission statement, or the organization's role in the community. Any of these answers (or some combination) are acceptable—a personal answer can communicate trust, and a connection to the business indicates loyalty and a sense of ownership.
Alternate Version 1: "Where does this job fit into your career path?"
Alternate Version 2: "If you had to convince a friend or colleague to apply for this job, what might you tell them?"
Alternate Version 3: "What motivated you to apply for this job?"
Question #4: "Is there intelligent life in outer space?"
Purpose: Find out what kind of thinker the candidate is and how he deals with surprises.
This is your curveball, designed to make the candidate ad-lib instead of just reciting well-rehearsed answers. How much will he or she play along? As long as it's not too short or too long, virtually any response is a good one. But pay attention to attitude, the way the candidate approaches the problem, and the ease or difficulty they have in coming up with a response.
Alternate Version 1: "How many phone books are there in New York City?"
Alternate Version 2: "How do they get the caramel inside a Caramilk bar?
Alternate Version 3: "Why do people climb mountains?"
Question #5: "Imagine we've just hired you. What's the most important thing on your to-do list on the first day of work?"
Purpose: Learn about the candidate's judgment and decision-making skills.
This is an example of a situational question, which is like a behavioral question in that it's designed to assess judgment, but it's also like a curveball question because it illuminates the candidate's thought process. You want to see whether he demonstrates the competencies and priorities that are important to the job.
Alternate Version 1: "Say a coworker tells you that he submitted phony expense account receipts. Do you tell your boss?"
Alternate Version 2: "How would you handle an employee whose performance is fine but who you know has the potential to do better?"
Alternate Version 3: "What would you do if you got behind schedule with your part of a project?"
Question #6: "Why did you get into this line of work?"
Purpose: Measure the fit between the candidate's values and the culture of your company.
It risks a long, drawn-out answer, but this type of question will help you select candidates that fit your company's culture. It's not about finding people like you, or people with similar backgrounds that led them to your company, but about getting a sense of their values and motivations. Concepts like values and culture can be subjective and difficult to define, but you should be looking for someone whose work ethic, motivations, and methods match the company's. This isn't a quantitative measurement so much as a qualitative one. Coke and Pepsi may seem the same to people outside the soft-drink industry, but each houses people with different approaches to making cola and running a business.
Alternate Version 1: "What do you like best about your current job?"
Alternate Version 2: "When did you realize this would be your career?"
Alternate Version 3: "What keeps you coming to work besides the paycheck?"
Question #7: "But enough about you. What about us?"
Purpose: Find out if the candidate has done his or her homework.
It's a cliché to end an interview with the standard, 'So, any questions?' But the fact remains that you really do want to let the candidate ask a few things of you. Reversing roles communicates that the company seeks an open a dialogue, and it helps you ascertain just how curious and knowledgeable a candidate is about your company. If he doesn't ask any questions about the job or the business, it's a safe bet his heart isn't in it. Listen for insightful questions that demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the circumstances of the job, the company, the competitive landscape, or the industry.
Alternate Version 1: "Where do you think the company should be in ten years?"
Alternate Version 2: "What's your opinion of our new product?"
Alternate Version 3: "Have you seen the company's new ad campaign?"
Finally - there is a debate about what to do when the candidate is a dud - do you keep going and waste both of your time in effort to make the candidate feel good about coming all the way down for an in-person interview or do you just cut your losses early when you know it's a done deal? Personally - when I know it's a done deal, I turn the interview into a commercial for the company...the purpose, turn a dud of a candidate into a walking billboard for how amazing we are. At least I didn't totally waste my time!
http://www.elevatedhr.com/
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