Page 140 - Boost Your Hiring

126 Boost Your Hiring IQ

5. Asking closed-ended questions: When you ask questions that can
be answered with a single word, you are not getting the informa-
tion you need to make a judgment. An example of a closed-ended
question is,“Have you ever presented to large groups?”A yes or no
answer will require you to probe for more information to find out
the experience the candidate has had presenting to large groups.
6. Asking threatening questions: “What was the real reason you left
your last job?” or, “Why didn’t you stay at your job longer?” are
types of questions that can be threatening when asked in an inter-
view. These questions affix blame on the candidate and imply that
he or she did something wrong. They put the candidate on the de-
fensive. When the candidate is put on the defensive, you create a
barrier between the two of you, and everyone loses.

7. Not controlling the interview: It is up to you as the interviewer to
be in control of the time and the climate of the interview. No inter-
view should make the candidate feel intimidated or hostile toward
you or your company. If you can be objective and realize that you
will be talking to a number of people and some will be the type of
candidate you are seeking and some will not, you will have a better
chance of making an objective decision based on facts.

The selection process is a very important step in your company’s fu-
ture. When you fail to take the time to prepare for this important step,
you are taking the chance that you may or may not succeed in choosing
the best candidate.
In the following chapter you will learn more about the importance of
handling the interview process in a professional, objective, and fair man-
ner. The small amount of time you take to prepare today could affect
your overall employee satisfaction and the turnover rate for a long time
to come.