If you're someone who makes hiring decisons, the following pointers should help. Our Interviewing Tips will enable you to balance and streamline your interview and selection process. Our Behavioural and Performance tips will help build dynamic teams. If you have any questions, please contact info@levela.net.

1. Base questions on a job analysis. What does the position require from the candidate to ensure superior performance? Look at what the candidates have actually been doing as opposed to the level of experience they state they have. 2. Ask the same questions of each candidate. This process is fundamentally important if you expect to accurately measure and compare candidates. This also prevents important questions from being missed or irrelevant questions being asked. 3. Limit prompting, follow-up questioning and elaboration on questions. Otherwise, you may bias the information gathered. Use follow-up questioning to clarify and gain complete answers. Be careful to not ask questions that may change the topic or lead the candidate. 4. Use effective questions. Use questions that require descriptive answers relating to past behaviours, and assess job knowledge. A few questions that pose hypothetical situations may be beneficial. 5. Use a longer interview or larger number of questions. Increase the amount of information you gain and wish to assess. Be careful not to conduct a really lengthy interview - usually 30 to 60 minutes with 15 to 20 questions. 6. Withhold or control additional information such as test scores, references and personnel files. This information can be weighed differently by different interviewers. This information should be withheld or provided by all candidates and become part of the process during the evaluation of a candidate. 7. Ensure candidate questions are taken after the interview. Uncontrolled questions reduce standardization and can result in the candidate taking control. Inform each candidate of this approach before beginning your interview process. Also, let each candidate know what you wish to accomplish. Let candidates know when their questions can be posed. 8. Rate your answers. Rate each answer as it is given. This reduces memory requirements and helps ensure that the rating is based on that particular question. 9. Use descriptive rating scales. This exercise allows you to rate within categories - at least four of them are needed. Comparisons can be done with fellow interviewers once interviews are completed. 10. Use multiple interviewers. Relevant information is less likely to be missed with multiple interviewers. As well, it reduces the affect of bias as it balances out the different viewpoints. Improper questions or evaluations are reduced because multiple interviewers provide a check on each other. 11. Take detailed notes. This reduces having to remember each candidate and can be used in justifying your ratings. It encourages all interviewers to organize their thoughts and notes, which increases accuracy, recall and consistency. 12. Use the same interviewers for all candidates. Consistency is key. Although there may be two to four interviewers, the interviews will remain structured and balanced. Prior to setting up an interview schedule, ensure that the same designated interviewers are available to see all candidates. 13. Do not discuss candidates or answers between interviews. This can lead to possible problems by introducing irrelevant information into the decision process. Opinions can be formed and "favourites" established prior to seeing all candidates. Compare all candidates at the same time based on complete information. 14. Provide interview training. Although this is not always possible, this provides the interviewers with information and understanding of the job requirements, avoiding rating errors, ensuring equal employment opportunity, establishing rapport, etc. Training techniques may vary but customarily include practicing, role-playing, discussing and lecturing. 15. Use consistent hiring decision rules. We are all different. And we will weigh information differently. Ensure that you have a consistent rule for making hiring decisions based on the interview information. Most common is to simply sum or average the ratings. Remember that the method you choose needs to be the same for all candidates. A consistent rule is better than using different weights for different candidates. 16. Use Behavioural Profiling. This is a fundamental tool. An individual's behavioural style, interests, attitudes and values should be key considerations when recruiting. Take the time to have your best candidates assessed and ensure that the tools used are reputable, recognized and relevant to your line of business.

1. Understand each team member's style and what motivates him/her. It is important to recognize that what motivates you does not necessarily motivate someone else. 2. Learn to identify the individual behavioural styles of each of your staff. This requires training and practice. With experience, one can uncover the distinct behavioural traits of a person. 3. The use of Behavioural Profiling provides valuable insight and encourages open discussion.

1. To get the most out of your team, you must capitalize on the individual strengths of each member. 2. It is important to discuss not only upgrading requirements with your staff, but also what environment is best suited to them. 3. Include staff members in the sharing of future company goals and objectives and secure their buy-in as to what is required on a personal skill level. 4. Make sure your employees know how much they are appreciated and remember that money isn't everything. Endeavour to make your place of business a place that your employees enjoy coming to. 5. Conduct regularly scheduled performance reviews with each of your staff as a method of establishing dialogue. They provide the time to reflect, discuss, plan, establish standards and guidelines, as well as assess performance.