Career Advice

Genentech, Fortune magazine’s pick as the best company to work for, regards recruiting talented employees as a top priority. Recruiting the “right” employees is a lengthy process that can include a candidate returning to the company to interview 5-6 times. A candidate may participate in as many as 20 interviews. I’ll bet other best companies approach employee selection with just as much care. So should you.

Every company needs an interview process that results in an employee who will fit your culture and work competently on the job. Initial interviews and telephone screens are most frequently performed by the hiring manager and human resources staff. For subsequent interviews, always broaden the list of interviewers to include other managers and staff who must work most closely with the employee in her new job.

In the hiring process, it is important to include a variety of people in the interviews because it helps to have a broad range of people approving and “owning” your new employee when she starts.

In fact, don’t worry about asking a candidate to return multiple times.

You can even ask a candidate to come work in your company for a few days to get to know her even better. (I’d pay the working candidate, of course, and this is more difficult to accomplish when the candidate is currently employed.) But, it’s a win-win for both you and the potential employee because spending time together let’s you both know that you are making the right choice.

Author: Susan M. Heathfield, Your Guide to Human Resources.  http://humanresources.about.com/od/recruitingandstaffing/qt/interview_rs4.htm