Interviewing
Interviewing
A lot of us have interviewed someone, at sometime. Possibly a few times because they were going to work WITH you, sometimes because they were going to work FOR you, and sometimes because they were going to be YOUR boss (I always liked those interviews - knowing you don't have a final say in the hiring, just if you should update your resume or not).
In the past 10 years, as I finally matured from a beginning level manager (or very wet behind the ears) to a senior level executive, my future staff (the people I interviewed and hired) started to say things about my "interviewing skills" that were rarely ever heard in a corporate or organizational environment.
"That was the most unusual/strange/weird/etc. interview I ever had."
Why? Why did my future employee's say this (by the way, I also would do this when inheriting a staff).
I can only think of a few things as to why they would say this.
1) Because I spoke the majority of the time. I am a firm believer during the first interview that a future member of my staff understand who they are going to work for, the ethics and morals that I practice, and the management style that I use. Watching and listening to their comments on my "style" told me if we could work together or not. (A grimace can tell you a lot of things about this future hire.)
2) I explained what it took to get promoted (or a raise and/or bonus) and what it took to get fired.
3) I did not ask them about their experience - instead, I described what I expected and what tasks/projects they would do and IF they could, HOW would they accomplish them.
4) And lastly, I explained how I manage and that I am not an easy person to get along with - that I demand excellence and a work ethic that may have never been asked of them before.
A brief comment on #2 - on how and what it took for me to fire them. I picked up something many many years ago (from the U.S. Federal Government) that I incorporated (with a twist) into the management of my team.
I use the three strikes and you're out rule with my team. The first time you make a mistake, I will do everything in my power to help you not make that same mistake again - training, schooling, access to information, etc.
The second time that the SAME mistake is made, I will not be happy and my staff member knows it. The first time, okay, but, to commit the same mistake for a second time - "shame on you". The third time - they're fired. To commit the same mistake, three times, is unacceptable to me. Did the person not learn the first time? Or the second? As a mentor said to me - if on the third mistake, then, I am not firing them, they are firing themselves.