5 Questions great candidates ask at an interview

Whenever we pitch for a new assignment we always discuss the interview stages that the client will go through as part of the recruitment process. Normally they’re all pretty similar; very occasionally there is the odd assessment centre thrown in, but by and large little seems to have changed over the last twenty years or so. Which got us into thinking about the process from the candidate’s perspective.

Having discussed post interview feedback with a number of them, it appears interview techniques haven’t changed much either and the phase of the interview that still seems to stump far too many candidates is when the client turns the tables and asks: "Do you have any questions for me?"

Either candidates haven’t planned ahead or they have over planned. Most candidates don't actually care about the answers; they just hope to make themselves look good by asking "smart" questions. To them, what they ask is more important than the answer.

Great candidates ask questions they want answered because they're evaluating the interviewer, the company--and whether they really want to work for the management.

Here are five questions great candidates ask:

What do you expect me to accomplish in the first 60 to 90 days?
Great candidates want to hit the ground running. They don't want to spend weeks or months "getting to know the organisation." They want to make a difference--right away.

What are the common attributes of your top performers?
Great candidates also want to be great long-term employees. Every organisation is different, and so are the key qualities of top performers in those organisations. Maybe top performers work longer hours. Maybe creativity is more important than methodology. Maybe constantly landing new customers in new markets is more important than building long-term customer relationships. Maybe it's a willingness to spend the same amount of time educating an entry-level customer as helping an enthusiast who wants high-end equipment. Great candidates want to know, because 1) they want to know if they fit, and 2) if they do fit, they want to be a top performer.

What are a few things that really drive results for the company?
Employees are investments, and every employee should generate a positive return on his or her salary. (Otherwise why are they on the payroll?)

In every job some activities make a bigger difference than others. The HR team need to fill vacant positions... but what everyone really wants is for HR to find the right candidates because that results in higher retention rates, lower training costs, and better overall productivity.

Companies need its IT people to perform effective repairs... but what candidates really want is for the techies to identify ways to solve problems and provide other benefits--in short, to generate additional sales. Great candidates want to know what truly makes a difference.
They know helping the company succeed means they succeed as well.

What do employees do in their spare time?
Happy employees 1) like what they do and 2) like the people they work with.

Granted this is a tough question to answer. Unless the company is really small, all any interviewer can do is speak in generalities. What's important is that the candidate wants to make sure they have a reasonable chance of fitting in--because great job candidates usually have options.

How do you plan to deal with...?
Every business faces a major challenge: technological changes, competitors entering the market, shifting economic trends... there's rarely a Warren Buffett moat protecting a small business. So while a candidate may see the company as a stepping-stone, they still hope for growth and advancement... and if they do eventually leave, they want it to be on their terms and not because it was forced out of business. A great candidate doesn't just want to know what you think; they want to know what you plan to do--and how they will fit into those plans.

As ever we would like to hear your thoughts; from either side of the desk. Have interview techniques changed or stagnated? Do candidates ask mundane or killer questions? Do clients prepare themselves for the interview as well as candidates? What would you change about the whole process?

Please feel free to go to www.chestertongray.com and let us know your thoughts.

'Thugs and druggies'

Ok, so it’s a bit of a sensationalist headline to start a blog but according to a number of articles recently it’s what job interviewers think when they see a tattoo




What in many cases starts off as a youthful, spur-of-the moment decision to get a tattoo can in some cases damage people’s career prospects for life.



Research presented to the British Sociological Association found that no matter how intelligent and articulate a job applicant is, if they have a visible tattoo, most would-be employers will secretly rule them out as looking “dirty” and “unsavoury” or even “repugnant”.



Even amongst those employers who do not have a personal objection to body art, many would think twice about taking on someone with a tattoo because they fear it would damage their corporate image.



But the study adds that those stuck with a tattoo from youth could turn it to their advantage – as long as they want to become a prison officer. And it concludes that a small number of types of tattoo can be seen as conveying a positive image, such as regimental insignia for military veterans, which can be a “badge of honour”.



In a paper, being presented to the association’s annual conference on workplace issues, Dr Andrew Timming of St Andrew’s University School of Management, set out findings from a series of interviews with employers about perceptions of body art.



He spoke to a cross section of managers from organisations including a hotel, bank, city council, prison, university and bookseller.



Most said that tattoos carried a clear “stigma” for employers, with several expressing strong views on the subject. “Respondents expressed concern that visibly tattooed workers may be perceived by customers to be ‘abhorrent’, ‘repugnant’, ‘unsavoury’ and ‘untidy’,” said Dr Timming. “It was surmised that customers might project a negative service experience based on stereotypes that tattooed people are thugs and druggies.”



One manager interviewed told Dr Timming: “Tattoos are the first thing they [fellow recruiters] talk about when the person has gone out of the door.”



Dr Timming said bosses’ concerns were usually based on perceptions of what their organisation’s clients might think. “Hiring managers realise that, ultimately, it does not matter what they think of tattoos – what really matters, instead, is how customers might perceive employees with visible tattoos,” he said.



“The one qualification to this argument is there are certain industries in which tattoos may be a desirable characteristic in a job interview. “For example, an HR manager at a prison noted that tattoos on guards can be ‘something to talk about’ and ‘an in’ that you need to make a connection with the prisoners.”



But he added that some images were easier for employers to forgive than others.

While in many cases flowers or small animals might just be acceptable for some, those most likely to prove a definite turn-off included spider’s webs on people’s necks, tears tattooed on to their faces, guns and sexual imagery.



Have you ever discounted a candidate because they had tattoos or feel that as a candidate you’ve been overlooked because of one? Let us know your thoughts at www.chestertongray.com