Why we don

1>only do it occasionally, and it's not high on our priority
How you interview is important, whetherlist to get right and become an expert.
you’re interviewing for rising stars in thePLAY OFFENSE, NOT DEFENSE.
company or just good, solid citizens for particularWe need to get good at hiring and interviewing to
positions. However, it’s not as simple as justmove the company forward. When we hire
knowing what you’re looking for. You alsoeffectively, we're playing offense, eliminating any
have to be able to hire effectively; that means toproblems from ever occurring. Otherwise, with
know what you’re looking for and how to findineffective or downright bad interviewing and hiring,
it. Last time we talked about how Jane and Bobwe're constantly on the defense, dealing with
interview, whether they're interviewing for risingproblems after the hire, which at the very least
stars in the company or just good, solid citizens forprobably means more time spent in more interviewing
particular positions. However, it's not as simple as justand loss of productivity for the company.
knowing what you're looking for. You also have to beHOW CAN WE HIRE EFFECTIVELY?
able to hire effectively; that means to know whatAs we talked about in the previous issue, we need
you're looking for and how to find it.to make sure that we continually evaluate the
Wouldn't it be nice if it were easy? If everyone couldorganization and the changes and shifts that have
hire effectively and had perfect hiring matches?taken place. How do those changes and shifts affect
Company and new hire living happily ever after?hiring (and thus affect our interviewing)? If we don't
WE KNOW WHAT TO DO IN AN INTERVIEW, BUTproperly evaluate, we may continue to hire what the
WE DON'T DO IT.organization needed five years ago, not what the
We've read the books and the articles on hiring, andorganization needs now.
maybe we've even been through some training onFINAL THOUGHTS
how to hire effectively, how to interview, and howMaybe what you need is a hero to skydive in and fix
to select candidates. Yet we continue to makeproblems, but then there's probably not a long-term
blunders, some minor, and some affecting thecareer path for the hero. What if you saw this
company significantly.position for which you're hiring as a maximum of two
WHY?For some reason, we believe there is someyears? How would you interview differently? What
magic formula for taking an artistic work and makingwould you ask the candidate? What would you tell
it a scientific assessment. While there are tools thatthe candidate?Before Jane and Bob get ready to
help us hire effectively and help us understand theinterview, they really need to think about what the
characteristics of the position for which we're hiringcompany needs now (not what it needed five years
(just ask me about them), there really is no magicago), and how that might affect the interviewing
formula.) We don't interview effectively because weprocess.