Hiring in general can be a dubious task. It’s simply amazing how great a person can seem during the interview process, yet they can very well turn out to be a dud just as easily as they could turn into an all star.
While there is no secret formula for success in hiring the right person, there are methods you can use to increase your success rate. It is very beneficial to hit the mark when hiring, as the whole process is time consuming not to mention costly.
The first thing that I look for is a solid work history. While there are exceptions in some career fields, I prefer a short employment history with a decent length of time spent at each job. A “job hopper” who has worked at twenty different places and was employed at them on average three months or less is a sign that the person lacks loyalty.
Next I examine the types of jobs they have had. Some people tend to make dramatic career jumps, and this can be a sign that the individual still hasn’t decided what they want to be when they grow up. I recently interviewed someone who owns their own business, and has past job titles including accountant, marketing, prison guard, and store manager in retail. Needless to say, I did not hire the person.
Another important thing to look at is why they left their previous job(s). I’ve seen some legitimate reasons over the years, and I’ve seen some pretty hilarious ones. I once saw “left job to drive across the country in my van” listed as a reason for terminating employment. It’s a telling sign when someone has a consistent history of getting fired or quitting for various reasons.
You may be surprised at what I don’t consider important when reviewing an application. One factor I don’t worry about is what type of salary the person is looking for. I wait until after the interview to discuss money. Oftentimes I find that if they really want the job, they are open to negotiation anyway.
As you can see, hiring people is sort of like a mind game. The interviewer is trying to see the person for who they really are and what type of employee they would be, and the interviewee is trying to sell themself either as the type of employee that they are, or what they are trying to be. It’s a high stakes situation, so do your homework before the interview and pay attention to how they speak and their body language during the interview.
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