Are you a new business owner looking to expand your team of employees? Hiring the right people takes practice but being prepared and asking good questions is essential for a successful interview process.
There are many ways to uncover a person’s thought process, potential, skillset, and ability to do their new job well. Whether you just launched and have no experience in interviewing or have been through rounds on interviews already, a bad hire can cost you a lot of time and money.
Keep reading to discover 5 tips to consider when you’re interviewing potential employees for your startup.
1. Define the Positions
Before you start making interview appointments, make sure you’ve defined the job positions properly. This is crucial in attracting the right applicants if you want to hire the best person for the job.
List your requirements and job responsibilities clearly and include the benefits and perks for candidates. Don’t try to cram two positions into one hire, as this can repel even the best candidates.
2. Prepare In-Depth Questions
The questions you ask candidates are key to a successful hire. If you ask all the cliche questions and don’t know how to lead the interview forward, you’ll get many pre-rehearsed answers that candidates use in order to get hired.
Don’t be afraid to ask unconventional questions that’ll catch the applicant unprepared. This is where you see how they think and behave in new and unfamiliar situations.
3. Set Up Different Interview Stages
The best way to find a good new employee for your startup is to have a few team members participate in the interview process. This will help you get objective feedback and different perspectives. Give each team member different questions to ask candidates so you can have a good foundation about the candidate.
Use an appointment scheduler to better organize the interview slots with successful candidates. Screening each applicant is a time-consuming process, so consider using an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to sift through the resumes.
4. Don’t Ask Illegal Questions
During interviews, it’s easy to get carried away with questions about the candidate, but you must never ask illegal questions. These include asking for the candidate’s age, marital and family status, citizenship, weight, medical information, religion, race, ethnicity, color, gender/sex, and disabilities.
Focus on the candidate’s list of qualifications and skills directly related to the job position. If you go too personal, your startup can easily earn a discrimination lawsuit.
5. Do a Thorough Background Check
No matter how good a person looks on paper and on interviews, before you decide to hire them, conduct a detailed background check. Call the references they’ve listed, check for a criminal record, and perform an internet search.
You want to make sure the information in the candidate’s resume is legitimate and their educational credentials and previous job experience adds up. In some cases, you can request testing for drugs and checking the candidate’s credit history.
Interviewing Potential Employees Can Be Easy With These Tips
Whether you’re a new business owner or a serial entrepreneur, interviewing potential employees is never easy. These tips will help you prepare the right questions and hire the best person for the job.
For more career and business tips, check out the other articles on our site where we share the latest startup news and updates.
