Universally, job seekers seem to all agree on one point: finding a job is tough. While that's certainly true, those doing the hiring don't exactly have an easy go of it, either. Thanks to the variety of opportunities for advertising a job opening, narrowing down the potential candidates is now more difficult than ever for recruiters. Once upon a time a job posting might have yielded 15 to 20 viable applicants. Now that community newspapers post job listings both in print and on their Web site, job openings have the ability to attract more resumes than ever before.
In addition, an abundance of resumes may translate to more worthy candidates, making the job of a recruiter even more difficult. In the past, standard interview questions often were enough to get a feel for an applicant. Now, with so many qualified applicants, recruiters must think outside the box in respect to clever interview questions and other manners to narrow down the list.
For recruiters hoping to choose from the small handful of diamonds in the sea of roughs, the following tips should help you do just that.
Ask a candidate to solve a problem. With the in-crease in resources offering interview tips and job advice, standard questions are likely to yield standard responses. That can make it hard to distinguish between one candidate or another. Throw a curveball at your applicants by asking them to solve a problem during the interview. The problem can be similar to a simple word problem one might find on an aptitude test. How each candidate responds will give you a better idea of how they will perform under pressure.
Ask about prior work experience. This can be especially useful when asking an applicant about a problem he might have faced at a previous job, and how he handled it. Have him explain the problem and walk you through how he went about solving it. This will give strong insight into his analytical abilities and how quickly he can turn a problem into a solution. Since every job requires problem solving to some degree, candidates who claim no past problems are likely not worth your time. Candidates whose response includes involving others to solve problems indicates a strong candidate, as such actions show they work well with others and aren't afraid of asking for help.
Ask how a candidate prepared for the interview. Arguably the biggest problem facing recruiters is an abundance of applicants, many of whom would be willing to take any job. By asking how each candidate prepared for the interview, you'll get a better under-standing of who wants to work for your company and who just wants a job. Those applicants who have researched the company, what it does and what their job would entail are likely looking for more than just a paycheck.
Inquire about a past conflict with a coworker. Much like every job requires a certain degree of problem solving, nearly everyone who works regularly with co-workers has had a conflict with one of those co-workers at some point in time. Many times, projects will require different departments to work together. How an applicant has handled working with others in the past and how well he's resolved past conflicts will provide solid insight into how well he's likely to mesh with others down the road.
For recruiters hoping to choose from the small handful of diamonds in the sea of roughs, the following tips should help you do just that.
Ask a candidate to solve a problem. With the in-crease in resources offering interview tips and job advice, standard questions are likely to yield standard responses. That can make it hard to distinguish between one candidate or another. Throw a curveball at your applicants by asking them to solve a problem during the interview. The problem can be similar to a simple word problem one might find on an aptitude test. How each candidate responds will give you a better idea of how they will perform under pressure.
Ask about prior work experience. This can be especially useful when asking an applicant about a problem he might have faced at a previous job, and how he handled it. Have him explain the problem and walk you through how he went about solving it. This will give strong insight into his analytical abilities and how quickly he can turn a problem into a solution. Since every job requires problem solving to some degree, candidates who claim no past problems are likely not worth your time. Candidates whose response includes involving others to solve problems indicates a strong candidate, as such actions show they work well with others and aren't afraid of asking for help.
Ask how a candidate prepared for the interview. Arguably the biggest problem facing recruiters is an abundance of applicants, many of whom would be willing to take any job. By asking how each candidate prepared for the interview, you'll get a better under-standing of who wants to work for your company and who just wants a job. Those applicants who have researched the company, what it does and what their job would entail are likely looking for more than just a paycheck.
Inquire about a past conflict with a coworker. Much like every job requires a certain degree of problem solving, nearly everyone who works regularly with co-workers has had a conflict with one of those co-workers at some point in time. Many times, projects will require different departments to work together. How an applicant has handled working with others in the past and how well he's resolved past conflicts will provide solid insight into how well he's likely to mesh with others down the road.
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