Interviewing a new job candidate sounds easy; after all, you are in control, you have something to offer, you can select anyone you choose to select, rght?

That sounds good but in reality interviewing a person to fill a job opening is one of the more difficult tasks you may face as a manager. It does require specific skills to do it right and increase your chance of hiring the ideal person for the job; the person that will stay and fit in with the culture of your company. Whether you employ one person, or five hundred, choosing the right employees can be a challenge. How do you k now for sure which person you interview is the right one for your company?

You can interview candidates for hours, do profile testing and have multiple team interviews and still not know for sure if they are the right person for the job and the right fit for the company. An effective job interview is one that will allow the employer to select an employee who will not only be able to perform the job, but who will stay on the job for an extended period of time. Turnover which requires rehiring and retraining are expensive for a company. Of course using a profile system such as "The Winslow" increases your chance of success

The Winslow Assessments have a heritage in the athlete industry with the number one client being Major League Baseball. Winslow also was the instrument used with the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team that won the gold defeating the Russians in Lake Placid. The movie Miracle about this team mentions the Winslow assessment instrument three times on how this instrument helped the coach put the team together.  The National Football League also uses the Winslow Assessment Instrument. E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com if you would like more info on Winslow.

There is No Secret Ingredient to Hiring Well

While there is no secret formula to hiring the right person, there are certain factors that can increase your nods of success. The basic foundation for successful hiring is making sure your managers are trained on interviewing. As a Howl Subscriber you have access to the "Lead Wolf Interview Guide." If you haven't accessed your copy on our web site just e-mail your request and I will forward it to you...

Now, let's examine some factors to help you increase your odds. As with all challenges in business; every factor must be considered in relationship to your personal circumstance and your company's long term goals...

Factor #1 --- The Questions

Asking the right questions is not as easy as it sounds but questions that determine skill level and experience are fairly straightforward. The more difficult objective for any manager conducting an interview is to select the applicant who will fit in, work well in a team environment, be a contributor, enjoy, respect and promote the company's image. Selecting an individual that can not only do the job but one that will be so happy working for the company that they will stay can be a real challenge. Facing that challenge requires asking the right questions.

Factor #2 --- Education

Education is always a factor. However, it should not be the only factor. It must also be weighed against individuals of lesser education but more specific industry experience. Personally, although I believe deeply in academic education, if I have a choice between experience and education and all other factors are equal, I would take experience over education. Of course, having both is the most desirable situation.

Factor #3 --- Experience

Sometimes, the best applicant is not the one with 20 years of experience. Sometimes, the best applicant is not the one with the Master's degree. The quality of an organization's personnel is frequently the single factor that determines whether the organization is going to be successful, whether it will realize a satisfactory return on its investment, and whether it will reach its basic objectives! Every application must be measured against the needs of the organization and the specific job you are trying to fill. There is no set formula that says education trumps experience or experience trumps education. That being said, when all other factors are equal, I personally prefer the experience.

Factor #4 --- Drive

In order to determine the kinds of people you are looking for, it sometimes helps to start with a picture of the "ideal candidate." This person would possess the competencies and exhibit the behaviors that generate ideal results. If the wrong person is selected initially, no training program or motivational system, no matter how well conceived and designed,  is likely to compensate adequately or offset the original error made in hiring such a person!

Factor #5 --- Passion

How many times have you hired someone who interviewed well, had outstanding references, a great track record … and yet never met your expectations? This could be due to a lack of passion. Wikipedia states: Passion is a term applied to a very strong feeling about a person or thing. Passion is an intense emotion, compelling feeling, and enthusiasm with a strong desire for something or to do something. You either have it or you don't. You can't teach passion.

Let's face it; hiring the right person is no easy task. Getting the wrong person on board can be a very expensive and damaging proposition. This isn't something to take lightly or just leave up to the Human Resource (HR) department. Obviously, if you have an HR department, they will play a very important specific role. But, the final hiring decision is generally left up to the manager of the department where the new employee will work. Train your managers on how to conduct an effective interview and what is involved in the selection process. The Lead Wolf Interview Guide is a valuable tool to support this process.

Rick Johnson, Executive Advisor, Expert Speaker, Wholesale Distribution's "Leadership Strategist", founder of CEO Strategist, LLC a firm that helps clients create and maintain competitive advantage. Need a speaker for your next event, E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com.  Don't forget to check out the Lead Wolf Series that can help you put more profit into your business.

www.ceostrategist.com