Many times interviewing applicants for a position is met with dread and anxiety not only for the applicant but also for the interviewer. If the truth were known, you would find numerous managers who do not properly prepare to meet with the applicant. The consequence is that upon arrival, they quickly glance over the application trying desperately to educate themselves just enough to ask at least one or two intelligent questions. Meanwhile, the applicant anxiously waits in the lobby pretending to be interested in the magazine that he or she is browsing. All the while, they nervously run through the rehearsed answer they will recite if they are asked the famous "what are your weaknesses" question. Finally, when these two nervous participants do meet and try to have a dialogue, there is a great breakdown of communication and each leaves the meeting with no real sense of accomplishment or understanding of the other person's true needs or their abilities. By simply taking the time to prepare and asking the appropriate questions, managers will greatly improve their hiring effectiveness, which in turn will reduce turnover and increase the organization's success. The scenario mentioned here is not atypical. Interviewing must be structured, specific and more that just a gut feeling. Make sure each interview is based on an orderly process that will achieve a clear understanding of what the applicant can and cannot offer you. Before the interview, write down and paint a picture of who the perfect applicant is. What will their abilities include? What specific skills must they have? List those specifically and throughout the interview check them off as the applicant addresses each one. A more in depth examination will discover whether or not they are a self-motivator or even if they have the needed temperament for the job. Ask yourself, what type of stress level will they have to manage? Second, conduct the interview in a neutral, quiet and private room. Many times a conference room is much better than a personal office. You do not want to be flattered into offering a position to an unqualified candidate simply because they happen to see your Pittsburg Steelers coffee mug and they comment that they are a Steeler's fan too. A conference room usually takes away those distractions and allows the applicant less leverage to try to persuade your opinion with such flattery. You want to walk away knowing that you like them because they are the most qualified not necessarily because they had the most in common with you. Third, take the time to listen. Many times due to nervousness or ego, the interviewer will have the tendency to out talk the applicant by telling them how great the company is or how long they have been in the business. People like to talk about themselves but the more you talk, the less the applicant can. Just remember, you have two ears and one mouth meaning you should listen twice as much as you speak while conducting an interview. Furthermore, if you are talking, you are not learning anything; if they are, you are able to gain the knowledge you need to make an informed decision. Lastly, proceed by evaluating their perceptions of what a good employee is. Ask them to explain their definition of success. One of my favorites to ask is "how do you know if you are doing a good job?" This question will let you know if they have a strong internal frame of reference or if they need more outside affirmation to keep them on track. Always ask questions where they will have to give you real life examples of what they have already achieved in certain situations. You can ask them to explain a situation where they did everything right and they still did not achieve the desired result. Follow it up by having them tell you what it was that they learned from it. Real life stories are the best way for you to get the picture of who they are, not whom they think they will be with you. By taking a systematic and deliberate approach to interviewing, you will be able to gain understanding, increase your success rate, and employ people who really are the best for your organization.

About the Author

Johnnie Garmon improves profitability through properly diagnosing problems and implementing change agents to increase productivity and profitability. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Organizational Development and a MBA with a dual concentration in Human Resources Development & Training. To properly diagnose and improve your profitability Contact: Garmonsolutions@gmail.com