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Colleen Kettenhofen is a Phoenix, Arizona motivational speaker on managing people, effective leadership, dealing with difficult people, and presentation skills. She has spoken in 47 states and six countries for top corporations and associations since 1995. She is contributing author of “The Masters of Success,” featured on NBC’s Today Show and Fox News. Colleen is available for keynotes, breakout sessions, training and seminars.
How to Interview and Hire the Best Employees:
Don’t Read This If You Are Not Interested
In New Ideas
Written by Bill Kettenhofen,
Colleen's father
Most everyone, at one time or another, has been a participant in a job interview — either as the applicant or the interviewer.
If you consider yourself an accomplished job interviewer, you might think you will not learn anything by reading this article. The key words here are “consider
yourself.” The true measure of your interviewing skills, however, are not determined by the interviewer, but rather are determined by those you have interviewed and how
successful were the hires you made. Also, as to your interviewing skills, what was the opinion of the applicants you did not hire? Is their opinion important to you?
Unlike in years past, the employment process of today is, or can be, reasonably complex. An applicant may be involved in, but not limited to, one or more of
the following elements: preparation of a resume, completion of a job application, a job interview, meeting with a psychologist, meeting future supervisors or those they might
later be supervising, a tour of the facilities and/or their prospective workplace or workstation. Yes, because of the number of elements and steps in the employment process it
can be complex. Consequently, there are numerous publications to be found that are written on the overall employment process. Rather than attempt to deal with the entire
process, let us focus on but one element – the job interview. A job interview normally is included as part of the employment process in practically all lines of employment,
ranging from management positions, professional office workers, shop and lab workers, field workers, to even the military.
The purpose of a job interview should be self-evident. Unfortunately, for many applicants and interviewers alike it is not! How many times have you
asked a friend, “What’s the job for which you are applying?” The answer has been, “Well, I’m not sure.” Whose fault is that? Or, you ask a fellow supervisor, “What do you think of
your last applicant?” Same answer, “Well, I’m not sure.” Again, whose fault is that?
Let’s step back and define the true purpose of a job interview. Quite simply, in its usual form, it is an exchange of information and nothing more. If the
interview is one-sided, neither of the participants will learn very much about the other person and both will be left incapable of making a sound decision. In other words, the
exchange of information was insufficient. Going back to the two questions asked above, “Whose fault is that?” Well, it’s the persons on both sides of the job interview. There
must be a clear understanding andan exchange of information. It must be clear to the applicant what’s expected of him or her. What’s the job? And, the interviewer must give or
allow as much time as it takes to learn all that is pertinent about the qualification of the applicant. If the applicant doesn’t ask about the details of the job, tell them. If the
interviewer doesn’t tell the applicant about the job, the applicant should ask. If an exchange of information is not taking place, there is a strong chance that a bad decision will be
made by one or both involved in the job interview.
Some applicants are quite non-communicative. It is imperative for the interviewer, however, to get the applicant to talk, otherwise you will learn nothing about
them or their qualifications. As a solution, one technique that has proven to be quite effective is for the interviewer to first read the resume or application of the applicant. Next,
turn it over and move it aside. Then say, “Okay, I’ve read about you, now tell me about what I’ve just read. In your own words, describe everything I’ve just learned about you.” If it
works, it works! And, if it doesn’t, all is not lost. On the positive side, if the applicant can effectively reiterate what is written, then at least you know they probably wrote it. And,
you know their ability to communicate. Consequently, if the applicant cannot readily communicate what is written on the resume or application, then the interviewer has learned
what could turn out to be an important aspect of the job. The job duties and qualifications of the applicant will, however, determine the degree of any requirement for
communication skills.
How long should an interview last? Only as long as it takes to have a successful exchange of information. Some successful interviews last but a few minutes
whereas most will last considerably longer – perhaps even hours. Remember, don’t allow, “Well I’m not sure” to occur on either side of the job interview. To repeat, a
job interview will be successful only when both sides talk and exchange information. During the interview, both sides must continuously ask themselves, “Am I and the other
person exchanging information or is it a one-sided conversation?” Remember, don’t allow, “Well, I’m not sure” to occur.
March, 2005
Bill Kettenhofen, Colleen's father, in a career spanning close to fifty years, as a member of management, the author has been involved in over a thousand interviews –
from all sides of the process – for such diverse entities as the military, large attorney firms, aerospace, and professional firms (financial and accounting.)
- Undergraduate and graduate degrees in Business Administration
- Captain, U.S Naval Reserve (retired)
- Retired from one of the Big Four accounting firms
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