Finding the best job candidates requires more than comparing resumes and listening for the best answers to standard interview questions. The ideal employee comes to your organization knowledgeable, curious and eager to work. Find the winners by tailoring your hiring practices to involve real listening at every stage of the process. Here are 10 areas you must pay close attention to during the hiring process.
1. Promptness
Arriving a few minutes early to a job interview is a sign of respect. It also shows that the potential employee thinks the interview is important and values your time.
2. Politeness
The ideal employee is polite to coworkers, superiors and clients. Watch for job candidates who are kind and have good manners.
3. Knowledge About Your Company
The best job candidates do their homework. Look for candidates who understand your company's mission and are eager to help your organization achieve its goals.
4. Preparation and Forethought
An ideal employee has the forethought to be prepared for diverse situations. Look for job candidates who come prepared for interviews. Prepared candidates have extra copies of resumes and cover letters, reference information and writing utensils for taking notes.
5. Ideas
Spend some time talking to job candidates about how they see themselves fitting in at your company. Serious contenders are more likely to have thought about the challenges they might face. If a candidate expresses a few great ideas during the interview, he's likely to demonstrate his strength as an effective problem solver after he is hired.
6. A History
Listen carefully to the stories your interviewee tells. Does he have experiences that can help him ease into his new job smoothly? Has he had success solving the kinds of problems he is likely to encounter? The best candidates have already handled situations similar to those expected in their new position.
7. Honesty
No one wants a dishonest employee. An ideal candidate speaks up during the interview about issues that make him uncomfortable. Look for someone who is not afraid to discuss hours, benefits or salary. Some issues might be deal breakers, but you should always appreciate an employee who is forthright and honest with you.
8. The Right Questions
The ideal employee asks questions about their future position that are not easily answerable by a web search. Screen out candidates who ask general questions on topics they could have easily researched.
9. Goals
Ask interviewees where they see themselves in 10 years. Goals are a sign of determination and drive, both traits you want in your ideal employees.
10. Future Plans
After finding our a job candidate's goals, ask him how he intends to get there. A goal is useless without a plan to back it up.
Job interviews give you a chance to really listen to job candidates. Take the time to read between the lines to ensure you hire ideal employees who are passionate about their new positions and prepared to tackle the demands of the job.
Photo courtesy of Nguyen Hung Vu at Flickr.com
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