The hiring process can be very time consuming and difficult. It is hard to find a qualified individual that will meet your needs and integrate well into your office culture. Interviews can be one of the most time consuming aspects of the hiring process. I have developed a system in my office to help hiring be more effective and efficient in narrowing the field.
After I have reviewed resumes and called someone in for an interview, there are often times when I know within the first few minutes of them arriving that I do not want to hire them. In the past, I would find myself stuck in an awkward situation. I could either cut the interview short and ask them to leave (which seemed rude), or I could continue with the interview which was a waste of valuable time. As a result, I developed something in my hiring process that I call ‘mini interviews.’
Now, if I have found a resume that I like, and they continue to impress me once I call them on the phone, I ask them to come in for a “mini-interview” and a quick computer skills assessment. I tell them that the interview is just to get to know them a little better and should only take 5-10 minutes. When they come in, we do the computer skills assessment which consists of simple things like creating a document, creating a file, and emailing that file. I am just trying to assess whether or not they have very basic computer skills (you might be surprised how many do not). We then do the mini-interview. If I am still impressed by them at this point, I will ask them if they have some time for a longer interview. They usually say yes, but if they happen to have another engagement, we simply reschedule the longer interview for a later time.
However, if I am not impressed after our mini-interview, this gives me an opportunity to bow out of the situation without feeling rude. I can simply thank them for coming in and inform them a few days later that they did not get the job. This system has allowed me to complete an effective initial assessment with flexible efficiency.
For more information on this subject, please listen to The Appraiser Coach Podcast Episode:
