Interviewing new job candidates may seem like a bore but it really can be a fun an enjoyable experience. Here you are, with a complete stranger in front of you, and you can ask (almost) anything you like.

Some organisations have a standard set of interview questions they ask. Others leave it up to the manager or HR representative conducting the interview. If you fall into the latter category, you’ll have to come up with your own interview questions.

I’ve found that there are 8 main categories of questions you can ask a potential new employee. They fall into groups as follows:

• Factual - ask the candidate to tell you a bit about himself on a personal level;
• Exploratory - ask about his or her education and previous job history;
• Challenging - ask about the candidate’s perceived strengths and weaknesses;
• Leading - give your views on a situation and then ask the candidate what he thinks;
• Hypothetical - give an example of a potential situation and ask how the candidate would handle it;
• Open or closed - you can ask questions that require “yes and no” answers or more “open ended” questions; though the latter are often more informative;
• Alternative seeking - these types of questions test the candidate’s problem solving or critical thinking skills; or
• Provocative - ask the candidate something thoughtful, insightful, or off the wall and see how he reacts.

Remember, the point of the interview process is not to prove how tough or difficult you can be. Doing so will simply make the candidate want to look elsewhere. Make sure the interview process is fun and enjoyable - for both you and your potential new employee!

Thanks again,

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

I’ve always found the interview process to be one of the more entertaining and engaging parts of a manger’s job role. Managers have the unique experience of being able to meet and interact with potential new employees before anyone else - and the challenge of digging for information to ensure the company is making the right hiring decision.

As with so many other functions, there is a specific model or pattern that you should follow during the interview process. One such model is the WASP interviewing structure.

The WASP interviewing structure includes four very simple steps:

• W - Welcome - Greet your interviewee in a professional yet warm and welcoming manner. We tend to formulate first impressions when we meet new people but our own first impression is just as important. Imagine finding a candidate who stands to be an incredible addition to the team only to have him decline a job offer because of his own first impression of your organisation!

• A - Acquire Information - The second stage of the interview process is to acquire information from your interviewee. You may ask questions about his job experience, ask him to take a short customer service exam, or watch to see how he interacts with you and other members of the management team.

• S - Supply Information - After you finish your part of the interview you should always give your interviewee the chance to ask questions. The questions he asks will give you further insight into how prepared he was for the interview and how much he cared about learning about the organisation in advance.

• P - Part Ways - End the interview on a cordial note. give your interviewee a time frame in which he can expect to hear from you, and part ways!

This simple interview model should be the framework for all interviews. The activities or conversations you include during any one of these phases, specifically the information acquisition phase, is up to you. Include all four sections and you’ll never miss out on an opportunity to gather valuable data!

Thanks again,

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Manager Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

It’s pretty obvious that we need to conduct an interview before we hire a new employee, but what are we supposed to do once an old employee gives notice that he’s ready to move on to a new employer? Should we sit back, wait until his last day, go out for cocktails, and wave goodbye?

Probably not.

If you are a proactive manager you’ll conduct what is known as an exit interview sometime during that employee’s last day or week. There are several reasons for conducting an exit interview.

First of all, your employee may or may not have told the truth when he initially gave you his reasons for leaving. He may have been upset about something going on within the company or department but feared telling you would make his last days miserable. People on their way out the door are usually less fearful and are more likely to give you honest answers.

Second, if you like the employee the exit interview is the perfect opportunity to express your happiness with his job performance. Make sure he knows that if he would like to come back there will be room for him (if there is a job position, of course).

The exit interview goes far in encouraging a positive image of the organisation as well. If you have a positive interview the employee will be less likely to leave on a sour note and will, hopefully, say good things about the company instead of complaining about it to people he meets later on.

During the exit interview you may find that there are issues within your department or the organisation as a whole that need addressing. While it’s preferable that an employee feel safe enough to share these concerns during the course of his employment, it’s nice to find out about these issues before things get worse. Use the information you gather to determine whether or not any sort of corrective action is necessary.

Finally, perhaps during the course of employment you realised that this particular employee may not have been the best fit for your team. Use the exit interview to gather more information about his personality, what he thought of his job, and his work values. This information will make it easier to identify similar personalities in future employment interviews.

Understanding an employees job skills and values is important on the way in the door, but knowing his true feelings on the way out is just as important. Take the time to get to know each and every member of your team and, hopefully, you won’t NEED to conduct too many exit interviews!

Thanks again,

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training Course

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”