Question:
I’ve been interviewing candidates to fill in a couple of positions in my small company for the past couple of weeks. I’ve come across quite a few interesting candidates but what are the things I should take note of, besides experience and qualifications?
Answer:
Good question. Bayt.com’s most recent Middle East Job Index Survey shows that employers in the Middle East today are on the hunt for good communication skills in Arabic and English (at 64% of votes), flexibility and team spirit (at 51% of votes) and good positive personality traits and demeanor (at 46% of votes). Here are Bayt.com’s career experts 6 Top things to bear in mind when wishing to ensure a successful hire:
- Read the CV before-hand:
Make sure you also prepare obvious questions pertaining to it, such as absences from work, degrees, frequent job rotations, promotions, etc.
- Ask candidates questions that determine their “Character”:
Questions here can relate to one’s integrity, stability, loyalty, attitude and maturity (i.e.: Tell me about a time when you had to test your work values and ethics and what was the outcome? Tell me about a time when you were faced with office politics: how did you react? What do you really think of the last company you worked for?)
- Ask candidates questions that determine their “Intelligence Quotient- IQ”:
Inquire about their grades in college, the degrees they have attained, further studies they have completed, skills they have acquired (i.e.: Tell me about a time when you stood out in college? Tell me more about your studying patterns in college? Tell me more about your GPA, etc.)
- Ask candidates questions that determine their “Emotion Quotient- EQ”:
Determine here what they like or dislike, how their relationship with bosses and peers is, how their relationship with parents and family is, how engaged they are in their community, how they would describe themselves, their best and worst experiences outside of work (e.g.: What do you consider as your biggest accomplishment on the personal level? Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback? Tell me about a time when you had to work in a team with someone who was constantly not doing his part of the job? How would your friends describe you? What types of people do you not get along with? etc…)
- Ask candidates questions that determine their “Relevance to the Role”:
As an interviewer, you do want to be certain that your candidates are interested in joining your company for the right reasons and that they will be an asset to your company. Ask them questions to better understand this (i.e.: What do you think of our company? Why our company? What are your concerns about this specific role? How has your previous experience and educations equipped you uniquely for this role – please state an example? Why should we hire you for this role? How will you contribute to this role in you first few months? etc…)
- Ask candidates detailed questions that further determine their “Technical Skills”:
Whatever the role is, prepare questions that probe in detail the technical skills required for that role and ask for examples of experience and success using those skills. Are you interviewing candidates for a sales position? Tailor some of your questions to the “sales” field specifically (i.e.: What makes you a good salesperson? How would you sell me this desk? How about selling me this specific pen? What do you think makes a salesperson shine or fail? How do you rate yourself as a salesperson and why- please state an example of a situation in support of your statement, etc.)
