The Secret to Identifying a Good Candidate for a Job…and Someone that can Simply Interview Well

At Full Steam Staffing, we know that hiring is a complex job, and figuring out the best candidate is a complex equation. We know it’s not as simple as just doing boilerplate interviews and easily agreeing that a given person is going to be the best pick.

One of the big challenges facing hiring managers and HR people is the ability of candidates to project an illusion of themselves. Some people have what it takes to do the job — and some are just really good at interviews. How do you tell the difference?

Here are some critical tips that we’ve found helpful in the staffing services world.

Assess History

When you do a verbal interview, don’t use it as the sole indicator. Do background checks and look at job histories. Learn what the documents can teach you. You may find that you have a candidate who sounds really good in conversation, but doesn’t look that great on paper.

Showcase Technical Requirements and Dig Deep

Another problem is when candidates at interview can seem much more technically proficient than they are. You might float over questions about software packages or manufacturing protocols or some technical aspect of the job, and find later that you didn’t really perform due diligence.

To test this a little more, go back and go over technical requirements to more detailed way. Figure out if the candidate really knows his or her stuff, or just a little bit lingo that’s most commonly applied to your industry.

Test A “Yes”

Another category of candidate you might have is a person who sits in an interview and tells you everything you want to hear. That can make interviews shorter, and it can make them go better. But if it’s not genuine and sincere it doesn’t work out well later.

How do you test a yes? When you hear the yes, ask follow-up questions that show whether or not the person is actually serious about he or she’s saying.

If that person says that they’re fine with traveling every single week, try to probe them about how that might impact their lifestyle over time. If they say they’re fine working a ton of overtime but their last job was 30 hours a week, follow up on that too. No matter what it is, ask the in-depth questions that may reveal a lack of firmness behind those easy agreements.

Look for Commitment

Regardless of what somebody says in the interview, it’s sometimes possible to figure out whether or not he or she is willing to make a long-term commitment to a business, and whether a certain candidate is the right fit. You can open up the interview for the job candidate to ask questions about the business, and you can reveal more about what your corporate culture is like. Extending this conversation can help both sides figure out if they’re really compatible or not.

About Full Steam Staffing

Full Steam Staffing is a full-service staffing agency in Modesto focused on providing clerical and light industrial staffing solutions to manufacturers, distribution centers and other organizations that need qualified, reliable workers. If you are currently looking to hire and grow your workforce, contact our team of skilled recruiters today!