Recruitment and Hiring

HR 101: Interview Lingo: Words You Need to Know – Revisited

Dictionary

Ever wonder what the difference is between “terminating” an employee and “firing” an employee, or if there is any difference at all?  Easy Small Business HR’s  “HR Dictionary”  takes the mystery out some of the human resources jargon by  highlighting some of the basic definitions of words most often used by those in the position to hire and manage staff.  Some basic terms used by HR professionals when interviewing candidates.  Below is a small sampling.  More terms can be found at the Easy Small Business HR – HR Dictionary page.

Behavioral Interview – an interview technique that requires that the person being interviewed provide specific examples that support their responses.  The following is an example of a behavioral interview question:  Share with me a mistake that you made in your last job.  Describe the mistake, how you handled it and what you learned from the mistake?

Close Ended Question – A question that based on the phrasing, can be responded to by stating either “yes”, “no”, “sometimes”, or some other very limited type of response.  Close ended questions should be avoided whenever possible if the goal is to obtain detailed information about an applicant’s experience and abilities.

An example of a closed ended question might be:  “Do you think that you can handle the fast paced nature of this job”, or, Do you have good interpersonal skills?

Interview – a conversation between the interviewer and the interviewee which allows for the gathering of information on a candidates skills and experience. It is also an opportunity for the applicant to highlight their experience and communication skills as well as to learn more about a particular position or company.

Open Ended Question – A question that requires a detailed response from the applicant.  An example of a open ended question might be:  “Describe for me the process of creating a database, step by step”?

Get more tips on interviewing, hiring, managing and engaging your employees. Dianne Shaddock is the President of Easy Small Business HR, Employee Hiring and Managing Tips and the author of the eGuide, “How To Supervise:  What Your Boss Never Told You Before You Took the Job“, A Step-By-Step Guide For New and Seasoned Managers.


{ 1 comment }

Management Missteps: 5 Imperatives for Hiring Your Next Employee

Hiring new employees is no easy task. Although the recession has created a large pool of overly qualified candidates in nearly every business sector, you may worry about taking on experienced workers at lower pay than they’re used to since a better offer from another company (which is bound to come along eventually) could leave you back at square one. And even beyond finding someone qualified, what you’re really seeking is a new member of your team, someone who will have a positive impact on the overall dynamic, contribute to the goals of the company, and take pride in the work he/she does for you. Luckily, there are ways to determine if a candidate for employment is a good fit for your company. Here are some tips to help you skip missteps and hire the right people from the get-go.

1. Pay attention to what candidates ask. Sometimes the questions an applicant asks are just as important as the ones they answer. If a potential hire asks no questions at all, it can signal a lack of interest in the job or the business, or else a personality type that is simply not proactive. You might not want either sort in your organization. If, however, they seem to have done some research on your company and they have plenty of questions about the job, the company, and the industry, there’s a better chance they are going to be assets to your corporation.

2. Watch for people skills. Not all positions require a candidate to work with the public or even interface with clients. And
 you’re bound to run into plenty of applicants who are nervous during the interview. But whoever you hire is going to have to get along with coworkers and supervisors, at the very least, so you’ll want someone who is personable and well-spoken (especially in positions that require an employee to represent the company in some way). A simple test is whether they look you in the eye, smile, and shake your hand, since the average job-seeker is well aware of these social conventions.
[click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

← Previous Entries