Thermoforming Report

How Hiring Managers Should Interview

by Keith Brown, President & Owner, Siena Group

As a follow up to our August Thermoforming Report on interviewing, I wanted to dedicate some space specifically for all the hiring managers and HR professionals out there. 

Though it seems like interviewing is part of the role as a leader, you’d be surprised by the lack of overall ability to perform an effective interview. After all, it isn’t something you do a lot of – or at least shouldn’t be! Hopefully some of this information will provide value to you.

The Basics

As I’ve said so often before, there is a lot of advice available on this topic. Best practices in this arena have been around for a long time. We have done some quick research and much of the information is the same – which is to be expected. I won’t get into those details here, but I do want to make sure to highlight a few things I find to be imperative for a solid interview.

1. Preparation: Just like the interviewee, you, as the interviewer, need to prepare. Do your homework on the candidate. Read their resume carefully. Review their various social profiles. Tailor your questions to how their highlighted results may align with your need. Being very deliberate with your line of questions will enable you to make an informed decision!
2. Open-ended Questions: This description is easy to understand, but not so easy to actually do in an interview. It goes back to your preparation. Have your questions ready to go, and then be ready to take notes. Here’s a tip from my HR training: write exactly what they say. Do not embellish or add to it or even interpret what they are saying. 
3. Be Pleasant: Your prep will enable you to be comfortable and allow you to be conversational. That type of environment is much more conducive to get what you need from the candidate.  A recent Forbes article highlights this very thing: “The goal is to make the job seeker open up and feel more relaxed to talk honestly and freely... Be confident in your approach, but avoid coming across as arrogant or intimidating. Throughout the interview, maintain a balance between being friendly and professional. The interview is a two-way process. You’re evaluating the candidate, but they’re also assessing whether the company and role are a good fit.”
4. Be Personable: They are interviewing you too! Just like the above article excerpt, in this very challenging market for talent, you and your organization are being evaluated during the interview. Most people looking for a new role have options. They want to feel comfortable with their new leadership, the culture of the company, and the challenge the role brings. 
5. Phone versus Video versus Onsite: Video is better than phone, but it is not a substitute for an in-person interview. I’ve addressed this in previous posts (see links below), but it is worth saying again here. From a recent MRINetwork post on How to Conduct Effective Virtual Interviews, they shared, “When you don’t have the interviewee in the same room, it can be challenging to understand what they are like as a potential employee, so your questions are critical.”  Yes, virtual interviews are a key part of the hiring process… but it also points to the need to ultimately meet in person before the final decision is made.

➡️For in-depth information on video interviewing in manufacturing, 
check out these blog posts: Thermoforming Report - October 2022 and September Blog 2022.⬅️

The Next Level

There are many ways to ascertain and understand whether or not potential candidates align with the need. You are working to assess their abilities based on their previous experience and results.

Remember: Past results predict future successes. Ask direct questions about the candidate’s results: what the situation was, what they did and how they did it, and where the results were generated. You must “actively listen!” Be careful not to read between the lines too much, but do listen for key specifics that are shared. Those details matter and will provide key insights into how this person will tackle the new challenges they will face in the role.

Be careful not to overly rely on the tried and true questions. Rephrase them in a way that will provide key pieces of information for you about the person when the answer is provided. And please… PLEASE don’t use weird questions! Typing “strange interview questions” into your browser quickly generates a long list of everything from “fun questions” to “the most bizarre” questions. You have precious little time to collect enough information to determine if this person will move to the next step or even if this person is going to get an offer. Do you really want to invest the time and find out what kind of animal symbolizes who they are?!? Just don’t do it!

Another Forbes article on this topic had a profound thought when it comes to identifying top talent: “Accountability and ownership are key traits of high-caliber candidates. They approach their work as if running their own business, taking full responsibility for outcomes regardless of their job title. This level of commitment often translates to exceptional results.“

Your approach is important. The better you prepare your probing questions, the more you will learn and reveal about the prospective candidate. It doesn’t mean the interview needs to feel like the Spanish Inquisition… but do ask the questions that will help you make a very informed decision.

I have to put in a quick plug for a specific behavioral science option: Predictive Index.  No, I don’t get a cut by referring them. But I do have a couple of clients who utilize this service, and it has proven to be very effective in assisting them in their decision making process. It provides key insights into someone via a relatively simple tool… that can truly help you feel good about the person you are hiring for a specific role and within a specific team with its own unique dynamics.

Making the Hire

You’ve done your research, completed the interview, and gained valuable information as to the candidate’s qualifications and suitability. Now, it’s time to actually LAND this All-Star!

My best advice for this stage?

Don’t drag it out and put the candidate through a level of rigor that will turn them off. Landing strong talent requires decisiveness and timeliness. Just today, I had a conversation with an Executive Leader who had recently been through six rounds of interviews… and then everything went dark. Yes, there will tend to be more interviews with executives. However, there are smarter ways to manage the process. So, do what you need to do, but be efficient and decisive… and communicate. Effective communication guarantees that both parties have a mutual understanding, minimizing any possible misunderstandings and obstacles.

Keeping the All-Star

• Interview done ✅
• Offer made ✅
• Salary negotiations complete ✅[Need help with this? See highlighted section below.]
• Signed agreement ✅
• Start date set ✅
• Congratulations all around! ✅

But your job isn’t done! The journey has just begun. In order to keep the All-Star on your team – and to attract more just like them – you need to be deliberate about how you manage career development.  Forbes calls it “Stay Interviews”, which is just another way to describe a solid communication program (monthly or bi-monthly 1-on-1’s for example) and a succession plan. Regular check-ins provide a way to stay in touch, build rapport, and ensure your top talent is engaged, challenged, and feels valued.

➡️Need advice & strategies for salary negotiations? Look no further: The Art of Salary Negotiations.⬅️

Wrapping it Up

There are no bullet-proof solutions to hiring people. Bad hires do happen, and they are painful. But by being prepared, ensuring you have an efficient hiring process, and leveraging the available resources (including external recruiters like Siena Group who can do the initial cuts for you), you can have a high level of confidence that your next hire will be a game-changer for your organization!

At Siena Group, we are your Thermoforming Talent Partner! We’re here to help in any and every way possible! With more than 30 years of experience in manufacturing, hiring & recruiting talent, we bring a greater understanding of the companies we partner with and the candidates we pursue. Let’s Strengthen Your Search!