As an HR manager or a business owner, you realize that hiring employees is not only about assessing their hard skills. This process is straightforward: you give an aptitude test and based on the results make a decision about a candidate.

However, when it comes to reality, soft skills play a crucial role as well. These may be hard to test as the prospective employee will not be willing to reveal their weaknesses.

Moreover, now candidates have more options than ever before. That’s why you need to be able to «sell» your company, so the best one is convinced to stay in your company.

Thus it’s essential to prepare for the interview and figure out the following:

- How many people should be involved and who?

- How do you know a candidate will be a good fit?

- What should you ask to check their soft skills?

- How do you present your organization in a positive light?

Let’s address all these questions in our article, so you’ll be able to hire the best candidates for long-term cooperation.

Figure out Who You Need and Prepare Questions

Even though the experience and skills of a prospective employee are fundamental for a position, try to consider candidates in terms of solving specific business needs.

Identify the needs and determine what qualities an employee must have to successfully address issues in these areas.

After that make a list of necessary characteristics a new hire has to possess. To determine that, remember the attributes of the best performers in your company. What were their achievements before they started working for you? What qualities do they employ while performing the job?

Don’t forget to include their personal characteristics, hobbies and so on. These are important to determine because you need to know whether a candidate is a cultural fit in your workplace.

Engage Your Colleagues to Evaluate the Interviewee

The outcome of the hiring process will be more accurate and satisfying if you make an unbiased decision based on the professional opinions of trusted coworkers. To make sure you hire the right candidate, invite a few of them to the interview.

We recommend having no more than three assessors, so an applicant won't feel pressured.

Make the goal of the visit crystal clear for every interviewer. They should be aware of what you’re looking for in a candidate in both personality and skills. Be sure to highlight that they should assess a potential employee in terms of business needs he or she can solve.

Ask to Provide Solutions

Asking trivial questions like «What are your strengths and weaknesses?» is useless, because you’ll probably listen to a lie. So instead, again turn to a subject of a business need and ask how they would handle a situation related to the job.

For instance, offer them to find a solution to the issues the department is struggling with. Another way is to describe a business process in your organization and then ask the candidate to identify the problems and gaps it has.

If you’re interviewing a prospective executive, assess their leadership skills by asking how they persuaded and motivated staff in the past. Was it successful? If not, what should they do instead?

Make Conversation and Ask Follow-up Questions

The level of stress will be significantly reduced if instead of interrogation you’ll make a dialogue with a candidate. It can be hard as you don’t know each other well. Therefore, find out as much information about an applicant as possible. Thus, you’ll demonstrate your interest, leaving a favorable impression.

When you ask questions, make sure to listen. You’ll notice that pauses are a great tool for opening up. The more you listen, the more a candidate will think of some additions and examples to his or her speech.

Follow-up questions are usually very helpful, as they create space for self-analysis and deeper reflection. After listening to the first answer, ask why or when or how the situation eventually ended; what mistakes were done and what was learned.

Follow-up questions reveal the details that often help you evaluate the desired traits of an employee.

Introduce the Job and the Organization

Remember that an interview is a two-sided process, so a candidate is evaluating your company as well. After listening to a candidate, leave some time to demonstrate why it’s worth working in your company.

Don’t skip the preparation of answering possible questions from a candidate. They are a good sign, so during the interview answer all of them thoroughly.

Make an Offer with a Smile

When you find that very employee, show your excitement. Don’t worry, it doesn’t mean he or she will expect higher compensation. The candidate is going to be as enthusiastic as you are. Don’t present hiring as a favor. Instead, greet them nicely showing respect and desire for cooperation.

When a new hire is finally having their first day at work, make sure youassign the tasks of organizing a workspace to employees in charge.