PREPARE FOR THIS INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE

Why do we hire people whom we thought had the skills for the job, only to discover that they don’t? After all, the candidate’s resume looked so good and the interview went so well. What went wrong?

Here’s one possible answer: We asked hypothetical questions at the interview such as “What would you do if…?” The candidate would describe what he would do but not necessarily what he actually did in a similar situation at work. Result: we never got to learn his true competencies until it’s too late.

Just two weeks before this writing, I interviewed seven applicants for a key role in my department. One make-or-break criteria was whether he can improve a production process. In the past, I would have posed this question “Suppose there is a problem in the line. What would you do?” But today I like to think that I have wised up. I framed my question as “Describe an actual situation where you reduced machine downtime.”

There. Direct and specific. Don’t give me theory. Give me evidence.

The results varied among the seven candidates. One can roughly distinguish the rookie from the veteran. The former tends to spout methodology: “Well, we look at the production records, tally the downtime and figure out what’s wrong.” The latter gives a detailed account and credible solutions: “We noticed that a large bulk of downtime was traceable to faulty parts. So I pushed my engineers to give me a preventive maintenance schedule and strictly implement it. The following year, we reduced downtime by about half.”

Is there a chance that the stand-out candidate was a bolero (bluffer)? Of course. When we hire someone, we are taking a risk that he is not as good as he seemed in the resume and the interview. (Marrying someone is also risky, but that’s another story.) To reduce your risk, you do background checks; you ask his former bosses if he did what he claimed he did. But for now, this article is about choosing the best candidate not through “what would you do” questions, but “what did you do” scenarios.

This has implications for two groups of people: the recruiter and the applicant.

If you are in a position to screen and hire, you will find this technique useful. Probe the candidate for actual accomplishment, not his opinions or intentions. Here’s how I did it: List down the must-have competencies of the person you will hire. For my seven candidates, I was searching for proven ability to reduce downtime, think strategically, get along with older employees, implement ISO and so on. No vague “Tell me about yourself” or “Why should I hire you?” You have to be crystal clear on what you want. Muddled criteria lead to muddled interviews and thus muddled hiring decisions.

Before the interviews, make a matrix. At the top are the candidate’s names. On the side are the competencies. That way, I have a common standard by which to rate them. If I ask different questions in different interviews, I won’t be able to compare one candidate against another.

During the interview, go through the list and ask them “Describe an actual situation where you displayed (competency).” I know this can get tedious after a while, but accept this as the price to pay if you don’t want someone who will give you headaches down the road. You want someone whose strengths complement your weaknesses and to whom you can confidently delegate.

Record every response. You don’t have to write down their answers verbatim. Key words will suffice. Don’t forget to jot down your impressions of the candidate. I actually peppered my matrix with adjectives like “looks troubled and tense,” “smart and hungry” and “overqualified?” They serve as memory joggers when later I have to evaluate each interview.

Force rank. With the matrix giving you a bird’s eye view of the entire batch of candidates, designate your First Choice, Second Choice and so on. Out of the seven, my First Choice had the key word “exposure”; he has work experience in industries related to mine. My Second Choice was “innovator.” I had no Third Choice.

From there, I informed my boss and HR of my selection. Mr. First Choice will go to the next step in the company hiring process.

Now, let me address the job-seekers reading this article. I actually learned this interviewing technique from an HR seminar, which means this technique has been going around. So, if I am using it, you can bet so do a lot of other recruiters. Be forewarned. Your next interviewer may squeeze you through the same rigorous scrutiny.

Therefore, your strategy is to excel at your current job so that you have an inventory of war stories to match questions in the mold of “Describe an actual situation where you displayed (competency).” Brainstorm and research what those competencies are, such as critical thinking, leadership, problem solving, grace under pressure, people relations and so on. That way, when the interviewer tosses a “Describe” question at you, you won’t be scrambling for an answer and blabbing. You will simply go through your mental inventory, retrieve the relevant experience and tell your story.

All told, we want to see verifiable evidence of your competencies, not hear nice theories or opinions. Gone are the days of idle claims and generic job descriptions. The more convinced we are that you have done well in the past, the more confident we are that you will do equally well (preferably better) in the future.

So, bottom line: convince us.

Do you have a loved one about to graduate soon or just landed a job? Arm him or her with more career insights via my books Your First Job: A Practical Guide to Success and Your Career Roadmap: How to Get the Job You Want and Love the One You Hate! available in major bookstores nationwide. Comments or questions are welcome via the exclusive nelsondy.careerroadmap@gmail.com.