Gut feelings make for an unreliable hiring system!
Interviewing new people is not my favorite thing to do, especially after the umpteenth candidate. And being pretty much brain-dead, makes it particularly challenging!
After moving our business to a much larger facility in 2000, I physically suffered a collapse from extreme exhaustion.
Tons of equipment, furnishings and files were moved, after weeks of logistical planning, packing and consideration. I was all up in the middle of it, and the cost was mind-bending. Even as the dust settled, more things needed doing, in order to get back to normal. I needed to hire more people. That’s a good thing, right?
So, I placed ads for new workers and scheduled interviews with many who responded. I selected the “possibles,” based on the qualifications stated on their resumes and additional information they’d written on our company application.
One Interview I Will Never Forget
The interview was set for about 5 p.m. one night, our normal closing time. As I said, I was beyond exhaustion that day, and the last thing I wanted to do was interview anyone. But, the applicant had arrived right on time and, after all the customary greetings, I lead the person into my office. Trying not to just collapse in my desk chair, I smiled my best smile and motioned this latest hopeful to be seated across the desk from me.
It was an awkward moment—the applicant waiting for my first question, and me drawing a complete blank as to what that question might be. At that moment, our roles might have been reversed. Wasn’t the applicant supposed to be the one thinking, “Don’t let them see you sweat?”
Professionalism Counts
I put on my most professional face, while desperately searching my mind for any “brilliant” question that might elicit needed information. A hiring interview should be at least coherent, in order to make a good hiring decision. A “wing-it” interview, filled with time-wasting, clichéd questions will discern little about an applicant. After all, I was considering bringing someone into our company to pretty much LIVE WITH for years to come. And the applicant also needs to have confidence that they will be working and “living with” professionals!
Sometimes TOO LATE, you learn things about a person that should have been discovered via a simple question you failed to ask during the initial interview.
Before I learned about THE POWER OF SYSTEMS, I often heard business owners (including myself) say, “I just go with a GUT FEELING, and I normally get it right!” But, truth be known, in my case, when I got it wrong, I REALLY got it wrong!
Gut Feelings vs. Effective Hiring Systems
When the aforementioned interview was concluded, I was embarrassed, and a bit angry at myself. In fact, I actually apologized to the applicant for my unprofessional interview, saying that I was just too tired from our move. But, I knew full-well the real reason for my poor interview: I didn’t have a SYSTEM for applicant processing. Yes, there IS such a thing, and the very next day I went to work building it! It was simple enough to do, given a little time and the research and experience I’d gained over the years.
I developed several checklists of questions to be asked when interviewing various types of applicants—i.e., sales, pressroom, bindery and prepress personnel, etc. Different positions require some very different questions.
We have used our Applicant Processing System for years now, and, like most good systems, it just keeps on giving good results.
Testing the Applicant Processing System
Recently, my oldest son Paul was about to start interviewing some applicants for a new opening in production. It was his first time doing that, and he stopped by my office for a little advice. I pointed to our online Operations Manual that contained our Applicant Processing System and all its various documents.
Paul said, “I THOUGHT I remembered seeing that system, when reviewing some of the human resources documents!” He has just recently assumed the position of plant manager and was on track, along with his brother Barton, to take the wheel of our printing company.
Affirmation came the next day, after Paul had interviewed two or three applicants, and again stopped by my office. He was excited to tell me, “Dad, the questions on this checklist are great! I asked every question on this list, although at the time I thought some were a little bold.” He said that the questions really brought out things he might not have known otherwise. That was good confirmation!
Paul added, “I believe now I would have hired the WRONG person, had it not been for this checklist!”
Did I mention? Great systems work!
P.S. There are certain questions that an interviewer is NOT supposed to ask an applicant BY LAW. That’s another checklist… another system we have that should be added to your Operations Manual…that is, if you’ve begun systemizing your business and not just relying on a “gut feeling.”
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