What the Employer looks for in an Interview. In a recent survey of over 30,000 companies interviewed by CNN 60% responded their major concern is attracting and securing the “right” talent. What determines the “right” talent?

• Proven results
• Behaviors
• Skills
• Personality traits
• Cultural match
• Long term fit
• Upwardly mobile
• Trainability
• Commitment

Great companies are spending the time to isolate what great performance is in the role. Invest more time defining what the employee needs to do to achieve great performance and even more time proactively assessing and defining the right behaviors, values and motives of the right person.

What do they want in return?

Return on hiring Investment.

Companies spend a great deal of money in the hopes of securing the “right” talent. A mis-hire could cost in excess of three to six times the salary of a poor choice. In addition, a poor choice on the candidate’s behalf could cause a 15 – 20% decrease in annual salary, as well as undue stress and emotional disappointment.

How to ACE the interview

Focus and Identify what the company’s problems or needs are in the role, on the team and overall. Determine if your candidate is the solution to their problem. Research the company.

• Competitive advantage
• Core differentiators
• Market focus
• Major accomplishments
• Opportunities
• Threats
• Culture – values – style

Understand the role…• What are the Key Performance Indicators / Smart Objectives

• Core functions
• Selection criteria

Assess your candidates Success Behaviors –

Do a personal inventory on the candidate and ask them how thier strengths and weaknesses influence thier ability to perform in this role?

• Personality – is the candidate a natural fit?
• Skills
• Attitudes and values
• Communication skills, work style and compatibility – does it match with the natural success in this role? If not,
is the candidate adaptable to change? Will the future boss be patient with the time it takes to modify their behavior, communication style, work style? How will this match affect stress levels throughout the company?

Vision

What is your candidates complete a long term career path in an “Ideal” world

• Role
• Impact
• Rewards
• Growth
• Package
• Balance between work and life

Preparing…the Audition Rehearsal, some tips for your candidate

• Do the “Merging and Thinking” exercise
• Complete a “5 Reasons” persuasive writing piece
• Answer three key questions
• Review position’s key performance indicators and how you will achieve them
• Review applicable accomplishments
• Close the loop

The Interview

Plan to have the candidate discuss

• What thier impact will be in the first 90 days
• Who are the key players and how will the candidate interact with them on a daily, weekly, monthly basis
• What difference to be made
• Reasons for employee success
• Reasons for employee failure
• Real life examples of how your candidate works and what they have brought to their previous positions

The life of all great companies depends on the people they have inside….Your job is to prepare yourself and empower
your ‘prospective employer’ to choose wisely.