Small Business Expert
Your resource for informative videos, articles, and tools to save you time running a successful small business.
Small Business Documents & Forms
Starting or already running a small business? We have fully customizable business forms and legal documents that will help keep you organized and well-documented. Available for immediate download after purchase.
Visit The Form Center
Ask and You Shall Receive: Experts Share Pointers on Effective Interviewing
As a small business owner, you're likely to spend more money on a frontline employee in one year than you would on any other capital expense. Yet, many owners fall short on due diligence when it comes to hiring help.
This is particularly true when it comes to hourly wage employees, according to Mel Kleiman, president of human resources research firm Humetrics Inc. in Sugar Land, Texas.
"They perceive them as disposable; yet, these individuals are usually the people with the most exposure to the customers," he says.
One of the most critical elements of the hiring process is the interview.
"You need to design a structure," Kleiman says. "Think about your buying process. How do you verify what you're buying is good?"
Rhonda Allen is an executive-recruiting consultant in Austin, Texas, who specializes in startups and emerging companies. She says anyone who is responsible for interviewing should be trained on questioning techniques and legal compliance requirements.
Yet, even the most informal training can help small business owners. "Take a class or go into any bookstore and buy a book on interviewing techniques," Kleiman says.
Hiring managers also need to standardize their approach. Janet Attard, founder of Businessknowhow.com, recommends studying each résumé and then creating a set list of questions, including some general ones asked of all candidates along with some that are customized to each individual based on what is learned from his or her résumé.
Allen says the most effective interviews are conversational and involve a combination of questions and active listening. "When candidates are relaxed, they are more likely to reveal their true motivators and performance indicators," she says. "Include questions that ask why the candidate is interested in the position and in the company, and how the position fits into their long-term career goals."
Attard also recommends using "how would you handle it?" situational questions.
"And remember that every answer is a good answer, whether you see it as favorable or not, because it's telling you something about the candidate," Kleiman says.
At the end of each interview, reserve time for the candidate to ask questions. "This is a great barometer for personal drivers and interest in continuing the process," Allen says.
If you can do it and still stay focused on the conversation, Attard suggests taking notes during the interview. "If that's too distracting, make time immediately after the interview to write down your impressions," she says. "How well did she respond to the questions? Did she do or say anything that raised a red flag? Was it apparent that she did any research on the position or the company? Did she seem motivated?"
Allen says that hiring managers should get creative in their evaluation techniques. For instance, role-playing can be effective in evaluating a sales executive's ability to think on his or her feet.
Adds Attard: "If it's a job that requires special skills -- for instance, expertise in QuickBooks -- have the candidate do some tasks on a computer to gauge proficiency."
Small business owners, in particular, need to be cognizant of managing their time wisely while recruiting to minimize disruption of daily operations. Allen suggests conducting telephone interviews to screen candidates for in-person interviews. She also suggests:
- Using email to schedule phone interviews.
- Scheduling one or two phone interviews a day, rather than reserving an entire day for interviews.
- Asking about compensation history and requirements in the initial phone interview to prevent wasting the company's and the candidate's time if these expectations differ greatly.