Page 84 - Boost Your Hiring

70 Boost Your Hiring IQ

ANSWERS
The Strongest Answer
(B) This answers the request for a specific example as well as demon-
strates the candidate’s ability to deal with difficult customers
while staying calm and dealing with whatever is given. There is
a sense of confidence and a positive demeanor in the description
of how this candidate took control of the situation when others
had not.This answer takes you through the step-by-step process
that resulted in success with a satisfied customer.If this is how he
solved problems in the past, it is a good indicator of how he will
treat your customers in the future. You could delve deeper to
find out if there is a pattern of control and confidence in dealing
with customers, especially difficult ones, in all his answers.

The Mediocre Answer
(C) This answer contains the right information, but it does not an-
swer the question and it is not specific. It is vague about a lot
of the details, and it requires follow-up questions to see if there
is fact behind the claims.
The strongest statement in this answer is the fact that she
received the customer service award for excellence in her com-
pany for two years. One probing question would be to find out
when those awards were given. A recent award will weigh
more heavily than if it was received five or more years ago.

The Weakest Answer
(A) This is the weakest answer because you know very little about
this person or his work habits at the end of this answer. There
is nothing specific here—just a lot of talk about “beliefs,” but
nothing to substantiate the beliefs.
A red flag in this answer is when the candidate felt “in-
sulted” when he was attacked by an angry customer. Depend-
ing on the type of problems this person will be handling, it
should be noted that he can, or does, take things personally.
This answer could signal that this person survives well in a
“perfect world,” but you should find out what happens when
the world is reality-based.

RATE YOURSELF
If you chose answer (B), give yourself 5 points.
If you chose answer (C), give yourself 3 points.

If you chose answer (A), give yourself 0 points. ______