'I Think I Can Manage, Thank You' is a weekly column by retailer Steven Bates, manager of Bookery Fantasy, a million dollar retail operation in
So you want to hire the best. How do you go about it? What can you do to thin the herd of applicants, and who actually gets an interview? What do you ask? What don't you ask? And how important is body language?
You've got a stack of applications and resumes. Are they legible? Can you decipher the handwriting? If not, you won't be able to read their memos ('I had a phlegm claw from Dumbo Who?'), and other employees might encounter problems with communications, such as special orders, inventory sheets, customer want lists, etc. If you can't easily read it, put it in the 'No' pile. Is the application filled out completely and correctly? Look for details often omitted like date, zip code, area code, address and phone numbers of previous employers, or their own personal data. Attention to detail should be a quality you seek in any employee, especially if you hope to provide exceptional customer service. We include two essay questions on our applications, asking applicants to tell a little bit about themselves and to describe what contribution they would make to the business. Their responses help you to assess their communication skills, intelligence, attitude, and self-image. If you don't like what you read, set the application aside and move on.
I usually don't call references and previous employers until after the initial interview, but suggest that you take note of whether you are given enough information to actually get in touch with these folks when you get to that stage of the process. If they have intentionally omitted contact info, they may be hiding something. If they left it off accidentally, you're back to that attention to detail question. Either way, a lack of references and prior supervisors should be a red flag.
Calling people for an interview can bring the whole act of hiring to a screeching halt. Sometimes your telephone conversation tells you everything you need to know. Do they hem and haw, or mutter in such low tones as to be unintelligible? Are they too boisterous, too loud, or, worse yet, too profane? Do they have the kind of voice and speaking style you want representing your business? If not, politely end the conversation with a 'Thanks, we'll call you if we change our minds.' Sometimes, you don't actually speak with the applicant. This is more of a judgment call, but if you get an answering machine quoting Dennis Leary or sampling Robert DeNiro in Taxi Driver, you might not want to leave a message.
The 'sit down, face-to-face' with the applicant is the real litmus test in most cases. You might be able to make the call in the first few minutes. How did they dress? Did the applicant show up in a Star Trek uniform? Or dressed as a halfling squire? Smelling of old socks and corn chips? Those call for the 'short form' interview, a series of basic questions that make it seem like you're interested, when you know there's no way in the seven Hells of Moridur you'd ever hire them. 'Why do you want to work here? What days and hours are you available? What do you know about X (comics, games, toys, etc)?' After a few minutes, usher them to the door, tell them to 'Live Long and Prosper,' spray some Lysol, and call in the next interviewee.
Now, what if you have a live one? Excellent hand-writing, good answers on the application, great phone voice, neat appearance, and punctual. How important is the actual interview at this point? Crucial! Here's where you separate the 'maybe's' from the 'could be's' and the 'should be's.' Interviewing someone with potential takes far longer, as you dig deeper and deeper to more accurately assess not only their ability to do the job, but their potential for blending well with the staff and customers. Have your questions prepared in advance, and take notes, lots of notes. Ask hard questions, and pay close attention to the answers they don't give as much as the ones they do. I like to ask applicants about their worst work experience and/or their worst boss. Some people can go on for days about how bad it was at their last job, and how much of a jerk their supervisor was, and how glad they are to be free from there. Know what? Someday they'll be talking the same trash about you, if you're foolish enough to hire them.
Questions I like to ask include:
Why should I hire you?
Why should I not hire you?
Tell me what you think working here will be like?
What experience do you have that will help out on this job?
What are your long-term plans?
Where will you be in five years? Ten?
What's your best work-related experience?
Your worst?
Who's one of your personal heroes and why?
Notice I shied away from asking questions about comic books, toys, games, etc. Chances are, in the course of conversation, you'll cover those areas of interest. Don't dwell on those; it's better to hire someone who barely knows the difference between Spider-Man and Superman if they offer a great skill set (though they should know Manfred Mann is not a comic book character). Other things you shouldn't (and may not legally) ask include their religion, political leanings, sexual inclination, or health-related issues. Just asking about the election or bringing up what church they attend could lead to discrimination charges if you don't hire them, so be smart, and keep it on subject.
I always like to ask one question that has no right answer, just to see how they think, and whether or not they can defend their statement. Recently, I began asking 'Superman vs. Thor, who would win?' The answers usually involve a discussion of alien strength vs. god-like magic, but sometimes the applicant impresses you. One person told me 'It depends on who's publishing it.' I didn't hire that guy, but I still remember his answer!
Some applicants require multiple interviews, but others you might feel you should hire on the spot. Take a deep breath, relax, and take the time to call those references and prior employers. You might find out that the 'golden child' applicant is more tarnished than they appeared, but better to get that information now than later. After assessing everything, from the application to the interview to the references, hopefully you'll feel strongly enough about the applicant to put an offer on the table. Be prepared for counter-offers, last minute scheduling conflicts, or a sudden lack of interest in working for you now that SoapCorp is hiring. Be patient. The right people are out there; it may just take more time and effort to find them. But isn't your business worth it?
