For Managers Only: What You Should Look For…

One of the biggest mistakes a hiring manager can make during the interview is to talk too much. Every candidate that sits in front of you should have approximately 75% of the airtime. The candidates should be doing the talking and you are responsible to listen and evaluate what is being said. Based on your evaluation you get to decide which candidate is the best person for the job.

That being said, Bridget from BizChicksRule, asked a question in her post, Hiring Employees: A Difficult Task. Here’s the question: When you have to find professional and skilled people to help you run your company, what should you look for? I love this question. What should a hiring manager be looking for when hiring? Here’s my thoughts:

When you have to find professional and skilled people to help you run your company, what should you look for?

1. Managers should be looking for the best person for the job. The job must be clearly articulated, documented and communicated to the hiring team. It is critical that as the hiring manager you know what you are looking for – core competencies.

2. Managers should have a profile in mind, and even better a written profile. What does the position need in order for the organization to be successful? Will you recognize the person when you see them?

3. Managers should look for a candidate that has been successful doing similar tasks in their past. If you are willing to train, then look for transferrable skills.

4. Managers should ask questions about their organization. Does the candidate know anything about your organization? Your success? Your challenges?

5. Managers should look for people that exceed current standards. In other words, don’t bring someone into your organization that performs at the same level as your lowest performer. This person should be operating at a minimum as your most successful employee, and even better exceeding the performance of your high performing candidates.

This is a preliminary list of what managers should consider when looking to hire professionals. By no means is this not an inexhaustive list, but it should help you as a manager put together your hiring plan prior to interviewing any candidates.