The competition for talent can be fierce in today’s economy. Organizations want to recruit the best candidates for future growth and changing needs. Candidates want to know that the organization will give them the chance to thrive and develop their full potential. It’s a big investment on both sides and the job interview is a critical step.
The old way of interviewing is to look at pathologies of people: the interviewers tend to judge candidates by looking for what they cannot do, and pointing out what doesn’t work. This leads to one dysfunctional workplace after another.
Instead:
Dr. Vic focuses on who one can become and what one can do. Dr. Vic changes the vantage point through a “can do” lens, not from disqualifying a person with a job interview, which is a distorted and biased process from the onset.
Post hiring, Dr. Vic and the TEP experts diagnose and remove what blocks the growth of leadership and employees, to overcome limiting beliefs and “self talk” and “others’ talk” that reinforces the destructive, not the constructive.
Here are some suggestions for making your organization’s job interview process more successful and rewarding.
If the organization is filling an existing role, review it with an eye to the future. If the position has a job description, make sure it’s up to date. Roles tend to evolve as needs change.
Consider the organization’s future needs. Should the position be updated? Will it need new or different skills?
If the organization is creating a brand new role, the task is similar: Consider both existing and future needs. If you need assistance, TEP.Global’s experts have deep experience and are ready to assist.
To match the right candidate with the right opportunity takes more than an out of date, check-the-box process. Organizations should look at the whole person in the job interview – their talents, propensities, and passions.
Next consider the traits a successful candidate will need. What ingredients make up success in the role? What will help the candidate thrive?
You may want to look at your current top performers. How do they embody success? How do they interact with others?
Be careful though: Each person is different, and it can be easy to miss talent when it doesn’t fit the current mold.
Develop a basic set of questions to guide the discussion. These can include technical issues but it’s more important to discover how candidates think. What are their learning styles? How do they approach problems? How do they work with others? Focusing on growth and potential is key.
Another important goal is to discover what motivates and excites the candidates – what are their passions? This information will give valuable insights into the hearts and souls of the people in front of you.
Be sure to avoid questions bearing on any legally protected status, such as race, gender, age, sexual orientation, and the like. If you have questions on this topic, TEP.Global is happy to assist.
The first goal of the interviewer is to put the candidate at ease. Reducing stress will make the conversation more open and natural.
One useful guide is the “80/20 rule.” In a job interview, the candidate should speak about 80% of the time, and the interviewer about 20% of the time.
Engage in conversation! Don’t be afraid to go “off-script”: The job interview should not be a rote exercise. This is your chance to discover the person behind the resume. Give them the chance to tell you how they see themselves and the world around them.
Leave time toward the end of the job interview for the candidate to ask questions. Through their questions, the interviewer can get to know the interviewee further. This can also be your time to “sell” the position and the organization.
Be sure to end on a positive note. Thank the candidates for their time and provide information on next steps. Leave a positive impression of the organization in every case.
Stay tuned for the next blog, about Dr. Vic’s “Individual Operating Manual” (IOM) for setting up an individual for success, both personally and within an organization. This is a paradigm shift from disabling to enabling, from confining people to a role to setting them free and unleashing their potential, so people are intrinsically motivated at work.
© Dr. Vic all rights reserved.
TEP.Global, with its people centered approach and 100 years of combined experience, is uniquely positioned to help your organization in its current and future talent acquisition needs. TEP’s talent assessment team goes beyond resumes and cover letters to find each candidate’s mindset, heart set, and soul set. For more information and insights, please contact us.
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