Good Interview Practice for hiring supervisors
sawynia
14 Posts
My CEO came to me late last week and asked me to build an interview where we can figure out a candidates aptitude and skill level to find supervisors. And of course, like any good CEO, wanted this yesterday.
Does anybody have anything they might be willing to share with me that works for you when you are hiring for supervisors? I've ordered some books from SHRM to help me, but am concerned about how I would test or ask to find a candidates 'aptitude'.
Any suggestions that can help me would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Does anybody have anything they might be willing to share with me that works for you when you are hiring for supervisors? I've ordered some books from SHRM to help me, but am concerned about how I would test or ask to find a candidates 'aptitude'.
Any suggestions that can help me would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Comments
I would start by identifying three to five "traits" that a supervisor needs to have. For example, one trait could be "detail oriented". If that is an essential trait, then you craft behavioral questions that would identify that trait.
The behavioral question could be as simple as:
"Give me an example of a previous job or responsibility that you had where you had to organize information in a detailed and thorough manner."
If the applicant cannot provide an example, its possible that there is a reason why they have never been in a "detail oriented" position.
As an aside, the behavior of "detail oriented" could also be determined through a short test or by examining how the applicant completed the application process (was all necessary information provided? did the applicant appear to read and follow instructions?)
If another trait was "good communication" you can ask a question like:
"Tell me about a time when you had to have a difficult conversation with a coworker and how you handled it?"
There are books out there (and also online) that could provide you with sample behavioral questions.
I would also think that an applicants work history would be a strong indication of their ability to supervise. Do they gravitate towards leadership positions? Do they have a history of promotions?
My personal belief is that a supervisor should be a motivator. Yes, you can get your employees to do their jobs by fear and intimidation but the highest level of performance comes from employees who are motivated, engaged, and empowered to do their best.
Thus, good supervisors are hard to find.
Anne in Ohio
Thank you!
Well, he hired one that had written an exceptional letter. Several months later when this guy had difficulty completeing an expense report, the VP discovered the letter was written by someone else. I suggest this exercise be done on company premises.
When I got here, I ended the practice of sending applicants a link to the website for their pre-employment tests. I couldn't believe they were doing that!