5 Questions Every Hiring Manager Should Ask
Organizations are consistently asking for more assistance when it comes to hiring and retaining great employees. Companies like Facebook, Apple, Tesla and Microsoft are all working to find the best model for hiring the right people and retaining the best and brightest. Initiatives that have proven successful like employee wellness programs, flexible schedules, impactful CSR’s, remote working, and encouraging further education have all added to the employee experience. Unfortunately, as a whole these current models have not yet been perfected.
Recent statistics tracking the retention rates of new hires in the United States have repeatedly shown that between 40-60% of new hires fail within the first 18 months of employment. When it comes to the managerial and executive level, those numbers are not much better sitting at around a 50% failure rate within 18 months. When reading these statistics from organizations like the Leadership IQ, Bureau of Labor Statistics and Harvard Business Review the question begs itself, what can organizations do to improve their hiring success?
Using Occam’s Razor theory, one possible solution and perhaps the most glaring is to better understand the candidates being interviewed. In conjunction with understanding the candidate’s technical ability to complete the duties associated with the role, every hiring manager should be focused on understanding the core values of the interviewee and whether that is aligned with their strategic goals.
Although there is no Holy Grail when it comes to finding and onboarding the right talent, there are certain questions all Hiring Manager can ask to narrow down the list of qualified applicants for the role. Here are 5 questions you could consider in your next interview:
Why are you looking to leave your current position?
Why ask this question?
This should be one of the first and most important questions when speaking to potential hires. The aim of this question is to discover what the candidate is looking for, and how those requirements are not being met in their current environment. This question will also uncover other important information such as the candidate’s character and perspective ethics.
“What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?”
Why ask this question?
This question will bring to light the driving motivations of a candidate, and how they will fit in with the responsibilities and duties of the position for which they are interviewing.
Example: If a candidate being interviewed for a sales role is motivated by success in the form of money, and the organization is offering their salespeople a cap of $80,000 in total compensation with no room for growth afterwards. The organization is going to struggle to retain this employee if they feel like there is a ceiling to their earning.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Why ask this question?
Important qualities in any potential hire or future leader is the ability to have an outline for their career and future goals. Our aim with this question is to understand how this particular role will assist in their life journey.
What do you do for self-improvement?
Why ask this question?
In order for an employee to perform their best at work, they need to have hobbies or passions outside of the workplace to keep a balanced life and avoid burnout. This question is aimed at getting insight into extracurricular activities and passions a candidate has to offer, apart from those listed on their resume. These skillsets can often prove to be great assets for the companies they are interviewing with.
Have you ever played on a Sports Team?
Why ask this question?
No matter the nature of your business, the purpose of this question is to illicit a response detailing the candidate’s personality traits. No matter the type of sport or position played, there is potential to learn about the candidate’s team and communication skills, time management, mindset and work ethic that could translate into how successful they would be in your organization. Sports is not the only arena where these skillsets can flourish however the traits required by athletes to be successful can translate immediately into a professional setting.
Making sure to take your time during the hiring process is crucial to understanding the personalities, skillsets and values of the candidate you are interviewing. Tony Robbins approach of Hiring Slow and Firing Fast has shifted thinking and encouraged employers to place a higher value on finding the right talent upfront. In doing so, your organization will undoubtedly see improved productivity, profitability and retention rates.