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Quick Tips to Improve Your Hiring Process plus 10 Awesome Interview Questions

  • By Andrea Schlapia
  • |
  • February 3, 2015

Quick Tips to Improve Your Hiring Process plus 10 Awesome Interview Questions

One of the key aspects I’ve learned about the hiring process over the last 20 years is that a well thought out and formal approach to hiring will serve your firm in a multitude of ways. Too often, hiring processes are left to a “fly by the seat of your pants” approach, which in the end, proves to be costly.

Formal hiring processes should start with:

  • Clearly defined job descriptions and requirements

It is essential to prepare and provide up-to-date job descriptions for employees to be successful. Include the skills, experience, knowledge, and education necessary for the position. Not only are job descriptions a valuable hiring tool, they should also provide a positive impact fostering consistency and clarity for everyone involved. Further utilize job descriptions as a communication guide and a means to review other workplace functions such as performance management, training, team development, compensation, and discipline.

  • Training for interviewers

While you may be a master at conducting interviews, frontline leaders usually aren’t. The success of your hiring process depends on how well hiring managers and/or team members assess and select talent. Delegating interviews to team members who are not properly trained can lead to poor choices. Invest in proper training for interviewers or outsource interviews to a third party.

  • A process to conduct effective interviews

In order to achieve the best results possible, it is crucial to ensure a consistent interview structure. In the first minutes of an interview assess the candidate’s appearance, confidence, and passion.  Don’t forget to pick up on non-verbal communication by observing body language. Ask each candidate the same interview questions. Check out the list of 10 awesome interview questions below.

  • Candidate testing

There is no doubt that knowing and understanding the needs of your industry, target audience, and clients contributes to success. With that said, knowing the business, the team, and oneself to enhance professional skills is too often overlooked and undervalued. Candidate assessments serve as a catalyst to gaining comprehensive solutions that enable you to make improved professional and people decisions.

  • Input from other team members

Incorporate a methodology that delivers input from other team members. By including current employees in the interview process you will gain a broader perspective and additional insight into each candidate that otherwise could be missed.

Better hiring results in improved team performance.  Without further ado, here is our list of 10 awesome interview questions.

  1. Tell me about yourself.
  2. Why did you leave your last job?
  3. What can you offer us that others cannot?
  4. What are your strengths? Best skills?
  5. What is your major weakness?
  6. What qualifications do you have that you feel would make you successful here?
  7. What are your career goals? Future plans?
  8. What do you know about this company?
  9. How many people have you managed/supervised in your recent position(s)?
  10. What is most important to you in a work situation?

The foundation of our Performance Coaching and Consulting Programs are based on Ironstone’s Fundamental 4™, which is essential to design, develop, and sustain a successful business. Our ultimate goal is to help you avoid trial and error; shifting your mindset to launch your process of intentional change. [LEARN MORE]

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Author Bio

Andrea Schlapia, RCC™, HCS, sHRBP, is the Founder and CEO of Ironstone, which represents the culmination of her 20+ year career within the financial services industry. Her experience began as a financial advisor evolving into a consultant coach for advisors entering the field. This ignited her passion to support others through learning and development of best practices in order to achieve substantial results. To this end, she followed her desire into positions of senior-level practice management specialists for Dreyfus, Prudential, and DWS Investments prior to the realization of Ironstone.  Andrea’s focus is on practice management strategies to enhance and improve both business and personal life. Andrea identifies 4 key performance areas known as the Fundamental 4™, which are required to design, develop, and sustain a successful business. Through coaching sessions and speaking engagements, she captivates her audience with interactive, high-energy presentations which are built with “how-to” strategies resulting in real-world implementation for significant impact. Andrea has been featured in multiple publications and audio broadcasts as a specialist and distinguished spokeswoman in the financial industry.

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