Try Before You Hire: Getting the Most Out of The Interview Process

Get a better view of a prospective employee’s true skills

You can interview and re-interview and still pick the wrong person.  Any interviewer who tells you that he or she has never picked a bad one probably either doesn’t do much interviewing or doesn’t want you to know the real truth.  There’s no doubt about it, interviewing can be challenging.  What about foregoing the second interview with the one or two remaining candidates and have him or her come to work for you for a day?  How about a few weeks?   This could be a great solution for many jobs and allow you to get a better feel about how an employee will do on the job - before the hiring process is completed.

Try out a candidate without actually hiring him or her

How would it be to actually put a candidate to work and see how they do?  Large corporations have one advantage when they have partnered with a university or other school to do internships.  Internships give a company a close-up view of a person who aspires to a position like the ones the organization needs to fill from time to time.  Often internships don’t even pay!  Such positions as data analysts for IT companies, copy writers or account managers for advertising, financial analysts for accounting firms, or marketing staff for manufacturers are but a few of the types of internships filled each year by students nearing the completion of their studies.

Probably the simplest method is to ask the prospective employee if they’d like to come to work for you on a temporary contract basis while you work out the details of creating a position.  You can also let them know if they do a good job they are in the prime position to move into the job permanently.

A trial period of employment won’t always work

Obviously, you cannot make this work with all jobs.  It would be difficult to get a good view of abilities in jobs such as a product specialist where the job requires specific knowledge about a product that can only be gained over time.  On the other hand, specialized skills, where the art of handling oneself with people could show through.  For example, such jobs as meeting facilitator, meeting planner, or technical troubleshooter could work.  If the job requires making presentations, a candidate could soon show his or her ability to prepare and deliver presentations in front of people.  Other jobs suitable for a trial period employment could include: customer service, food handling, retail clerks, or any other where the primary function is to interact with the customers and skillfully and tactfully provide a service.

First-hand experience can be a valuable learning experience

So, why go through all this?  In an interview situation, people let you see what they want you to see.  Many people are great at controlling the interview (can talk the talk) but not necessarily adept at the needed skills (can’t walk the walk).  Some of the best at manipulating the interview situation became that way because they have done it so often.  Some people who seem to be wonderful prospects, may have hidden beneath that charm an overall lack of people skills and the ability to collaborate with others.  After a while, bad habits start to become visible. People can’t fake their people skills for long periods of time.  A trial employment is an excellent way to try out a candidate where such skills are needed because if they really don’t have people skills it will show up quickly.  

The benefit of a trial period works both ways

A prospective employee could also discover that the work, or the organization, is not for him or her.  In that case, the prospect can simply opt out of what he or she could see would be a regrettable situation, saving you from a great deal of angst.  It is as important for the employee to know he is making a good fit as it is for you to know the employee is a good fit.

Be sure the check references and ask “the question”

Last but not least, don’t forget to call the former employee to ask the question, “Would you hire this person again?”  It is a legal and proper question to ask and answer.  It can very quickly reveal a potential problem.

Be creative; creating an opportunity to see a prospective employee at work means less risk for the employer.  It is not an enjoyable experience to have to face dismissing a recent hire and short-term employee for less than satisfactory performance.  Taking advantage of a trial opportunity also reduces the risk for accusations of improper job dismissal and for unemployment benefits claims.  The goal is always to find the right, qualified candidate for the position.  A trial period of employment reduces the hit-and-miss nature of making the shot in the dark hiring decision.  The days of a true probationary period of employment probably went out about the time of floppy collars and bell-bottoms.  It is increasingly more risky to hire people and then fire them shortly after for poor performance.

For more information about how we can help you with your Human Resources and hiring processes, call us at 888-700-8512, request a proposal or contact us.

CBR is named the first PEO in Arizona to be honored as a BBB Ethics Award Finalist for 2006 and 2007.  This award applauds employers as they strive to ensure that ethics remains a driving force in their business.  read more