3 Ways to QUICKLY Identify Your Next Hire
Hiring Practices are a major key to the success of your business, which it why it should be a thought out process that allows you to identify exactly who is capable of fulfilling those positions. Throughout my career I’ve managed over 1,600 employees, and there are 3 ways I approach interviews when I am trying to figure out who the candidates truly are and where they belong in my company.
#1) TEST THEIR CORE VALUES
By asking questions related to your company’s mission and values you can quickly identify whether or not a candidate will be a good fit. A great way to figure out if they match up during an interview is to ask questions that don’t necessarily have a right or wrong answer. For example,
Q: Here is a list of values, please select 5 that you feel are the MOST important
A: This is where you align your values and ask them questions about why those are important to them; or ask similar open-ended questions that test those values.
Q: Do you prefer to be micro-managed or macro-managed and why?
A: This will tell you the environment they work best in and how they get things accomplished. The best answer will depend on your personal management style.
Once you start working with someone, you being to understand their strengths and weaknesses. Especially when you are working together in groups, then you can easily identify who should take on which tasks. Which brings me to my next point…
#2) ARE THEY A PROJECT OR PROCESS PERSON?
You’re probably asking, what does that even mean? Well it’s simple, actually. Does that person like to come up with innovative ideas and take new initiatives? Then more than likely they are Project People! Also, DO NOT expect them to do repetitive tasks that will put them to sleep. Instead, that is where a Process Person comes into play because they like to do the same tasks over and over, and do them more efficiently each time. This does not mean that Process People are not creative people, it just means that when it comes time to execute their creative ideas, they FREEZE!
Are you wondering which type you are? I did too! A lot of people identify to one or the other right away but some people feel that they share qualities of Project and Process type people. This person is what we like to call, Hybrids. Hybrids are people who can come up with ideas but doesn’t necessarily want to create the ‘Big Picture’. They fall short of vision but once they identify it then they can run with it.
If you can identify whether the candidate is a process or project person then it will make it much easier to place that person in your company. Hybrids, on the other hand… well, they can be more difficult to place but once you figure that out then they could be a major asset to your company!
Many times employers will ignore certain ‘red flags’ when it comes to a candidate’s personality because they have the ability to perform whatever task that needs to be accomplished. This IS NOT the right way to go because certain personality traits could prevent them from accomplishing those very things you know they are capable of doing. Which brings me to my last point…
#3) DO NOT IGNORE PERSONALITY TYPES
You can hire someone who is great at interviewing and identify where they’d be the most competent, but if their attitude is not well suited in your company it will end in disaster. This is something you should identify right away. I have interviewed hundreds of people and there have been times where I have been fooled. An interview goes great and you get excited about that candidate but when they start the job you are wondering where that person went. Sometimes there is a personal explanation, but the majority of the time, it is their attitude.
There are 3 things you should look for in a candidate; effort, attitude and ability. Many companies overlook attitudes if the candidate has the ability to do the job… this is a HUGE mistake. Of course you want them to capable of the job, which they more than likely are if they got the interview, right? So when it comes down to the actual hire, attitude is the most important.
All of these are interconnected, which is why it is crucial to figure out if the candidate matches your core values from the beginning. If someone has a great attitude but admits that they aren’t great at some things, then do not dismiss them because of their mediocre interview skills. Truly try to get to know your candidates from their values and ask them what your ‘mission statement’ means to them. These are the clear indicators on who is going to be the best fit for your company. Also, identifying which roles are going to match their personality type will add to the value of your business.
