You Are Who You Hire (part 2)
Hiring someone is a little bit like getting married. You're making a long-term commitment to spend a lot of time with him or her, you'll depend on each other in many ways, and it's not easy to end the relationship. So the hiring process is like dating - you want to find out a lot about each other, and like dating, it's not just about technical qualifications.
Here are some different approaches to getting to know someone during the hiring process.
Interviews usually start with a discussion of the candidate's past experiences. As an interviewer, it's important to press for details, not just hear the rehearsed story. For example, you can ask:
- "Why did you leave a job?" Press for details and ask how to confirm them. Is there someone, not necessarily a supervisor, you could talk to, from the previous job? You can learn a lot from a person's reaction to this, even if you don't follow up. And when you ask about why they left another job, you may get a more accurate answer.
- "Describe your accomplishments on a project" (pick one that was clearly a team effort). Then ask about the candidate's personal role on the team in each accomplishment. Listen for someone who takes all the credit, versus someone who acknowledges a team effort. Ask what he had to learn in order to do the project.
Get an idea of what sort of work culture the applicant has been in, and whether she will fit into your company's culture. Ask "what kind of work environment do you thrive in?" First, establish whether she is accustomed to a competitive or supportive/team-oriented environment by asking for examples of work situations where people competed for credit or advancement; then ask for examples where people worked together and/or shared credit. Ask which environment was most comfortable, challenging and rewarding. If you read between the lines, you'll learn a lot about how the candidate herself works with others.
In order to discover how an applicant handles specific situations, start by asking, generally, to describe a difficult situation and how he dealt with it. Then ask for an example of a success that grew from a personal initiative. Follow these with a few questions that require the applicant to describe how he might respond to difficult hypothetical situations, such as:
- "Say you were asked to do something that could not be done in the time allotted, and your manager said that you must finish it, and no other resources were available? What would you do?"
- "What if you were instructed to do something that you believed undermined your company's business objectives?:
One classic hiring technique is to ask the candidate to work on a very difficult problem, perhaps one that she could not actually solve. Something like, "a swimming pool and a faucet are 100 yards away from each other. Using only the things in this room as tools, how would you fill the pool?" Ask her to explain her process, and listen for how she brainstorms the problem, examines alternative approaches, and thinks when she hits a roadblock. A really good candidate won't give up, and a great one might solve the problem with a solution that never occurred to you. (Note that the swimming pool question is open to "outside the box" solutions, such as filling the pool with something other than water.)
Sometimes you can learn a lot about someone by asking "blue sky" questions, such as:
- What's the best job you can imagine?
- What would you do to grow our business if you could build any product or acquire any small company?(I answered this question in an interview once, and after I was hired, my suggestion led to a major acquisition.)
- What other company would you most want to work for, and why? (If you want to put the candidate on the spot, ask "Why aren't you interviewing there? If they're not hiring, would you go there when they are?")
- What would you be doing if you had $100 million in the bank?
Give a candidate plenty of time to ask questions. This isn't a courtesy - this is an important way to get to know someone. You'll get an idea how well they've researched your company (and maybe you), how well they understand the business/industry, and what kinds of things concern them. See if they take notes. (I would probably not hire someone who came to an interview without a notebook...)
Finally, my most important interviewing suggestion: If you're serious about a candidate, take him out to lunch (or dinner). You'll learn more about the person in an informal setting than in an office or conference room. Eating together can provide big insights into someone's personality and habits, so pay attention. Don't act like you're interviewing, just have a conversation. Encourage storytelling. Remember the airport test: if you wouldn't want to be stuck in an airport with someone, you may not want to hire them.
Here are some different approaches to getting to know someone during the hiring process.
Interviews usually start with a discussion of the candidate's past experiences. As an interviewer, it's important to press for details, not just hear the rehearsed story. For example, you can ask:
- "Why did you leave a job?" Press for details and ask how to confirm them. Is there someone, not necessarily a supervisor, you could talk to, from the previous job? You can learn a lot from a person's reaction to this, even if you don't follow up. And when you ask about why they left another job, you may get a more accurate answer.
- "Describe your accomplishments on a project" (pick one that was clearly a team effort). Then ask about the candidate's personal role on the team in each accomplishment. Listen for someone who takes all the credit, versus someone who acknowledges a team effort. Ask what he had to learn in order to do the project.
Get an idea of what sort of work culture the applicant has been in, and whether she will fit into your company's culture. Ask "what kind of work environment do you thrive in?" First, establish whether she is accustomed to a competitive or supportive/team-oriented environment by asking for examples of work situations where people competed for credit or advancement; then ask for examples where people worked together and/or shared credit. Ask which environment was most comfortable, challenging and rewarding. If you read between the lines, you'll learn a lot about how the candidate herself works with others.
In order to discover how an applicant handles specific situations, start by asking, generally, to describe a difficult situation and how he dealt with it. Then ask for an example of a success that grew from a personal initiative. Follow these with a few questions that require the applicant to describe how he might respond to difficult hypothetical situations, such as:
- "Say you were asked to do something that could not be done in the time allotted, and your manager said that you must finish it, and no other resources were available? What would you do?"
- "What if you were instructed to do something that you believed undermined your company's business objectives?:
One classic hiring technique is to ask the candidate to work on a very difficult problem, perhaps one that she could not actually solve. Something like, "a swimming pool and a faucet are 100 yards away from each other. Using only the things in this room as tools, how would you fill the pool?" Ask her to explain her process, and listen for how she brainstorms the problem, examines alternative approaches, and thinks when she hits a roadblock. A really good candidate won't give up, and a great one might solve the problem with a solution that never occurred to you. (Note that the swimming pool question is open to "outside the box" solutions, such as filling the pool with something other than water.)
One way to find out how someone sees himself is to ask “If I called three people who have worked for you, how would they describe you?” The implication that you might actually follow up encourages honest answers. (Checking references is a good idea anyway. Even though many companies now prohibit managers from giving references, a lengthy chat with a former co-worker can be very informative.)
Sometimes you can learn a lot about someone by asking "blue sky" questions, such as:
- What's the best job you can imagine?
- What would you do to grow our business if you could build any product or acquire any small company?(I answered this question in an interview once, and after I was hired, my suggestion led to a major acquisition.)
- What other company would you most want to work for, and why? (If you want to put the candidate on the spot, ask "Why aren't you interviewing there? If they're not hiring, would you go there when they are?")
- What would you be doing if you had $100 million in the bank?
Give a candidate plenty of time to ask questions. This isn't a courtesy - this is an important way to get to know someone. You'll get an idea how well they've researched your company (and maybe you), how well they understand the business/industry, and what kinds of things concern them. See if they take notes. (I would probably not hire someone who came to an interview without a notebook...)
Finally, my most important interviewing suggestion: If you're serious about a candidate, take him out to lunch (or dinner). You'll learn more about the person in an informal setting than in an office or conference room. Eating together can provide big insights into someone's personality and habits, so pay attention. Don't act like you're interviewing, just have a conversation. Encourage storytelling. Remember the airport test: if you wouldn't want to be stuck in an airport with someone, you may not want to hire them.
If you really interview well, you'll know when you've found the right candidate. If you're not sure, keep searching. Settling for someone who isn't smart, knowledgeable or compatible is a sure way to build a mediocre business. When you find the right person, you'll be making your own job more enjoyable and productive. Anything less should not be an option.
Comments