Have you ever noticed that some companies seem to have higher turnover rates than others? It’s true despite the fact that all of them are out to accomplish the same goal: make and retain the best talent. So is it just “luck of the draw’” or have some companies mastered the art of finding the cream of the crop?
As someone who’s been privileged to help companies make better hiring decisions for the past 20 years, I’ve learned to ask a few critical questions.
1. Why is the position open?
This may sound trivial, but the question forces us to dig deeper. Is this a newly created position? How many times has this position been open in the last 5 years? Why did the last hire not work out? Take notice of these factors as you have an opportunity to avoid repeating past hiring mistakes.
This is also the time to profile the position and list out the required and preferred personality traits that you’ll be looking for in a candidate.
2. What is your firm’s culture?
Not all job environments are created equally. Obviously working at a quick service restaurant where the employees scream, “Welcome to our really cool eatery!” every time the door opens is a drastically different culture than sitting at a cubicle in a subdued, professional office all day.
For effective hiring, it is crucial to identify your firm’s own distinct culture so you can clearly communicate this to candidates and set expectations for what environment he or she can look forward to joining. Note: A great interview question is “What is the worst work environment you’ve experienced?”
3. Beyond the job description-What is your X factor?
Today’s best candidates are looking for that “X Factor.” Today’s top hiring managers have learned to include some of those intangibles in their job descriptions to attract better talent. This is an often-underestimated contributor in today’s candidate rich job market. Don’t hesitate to boast about your “X factor” when working with your recruiter, this can create a competitive environment amongst top echelon applicants.
