Interviewing and Hiring

Gauge candidates’ originality

December 1, 2014
Peter Thiel, PayPal cofounder, is always on the lookout for employees who are willing to speak up and share their opinions. To gauge that quality in job candidates and business owners seeking capital for their businesses, he says during interviews: “Tell me something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.”

Interview tip

November 1, 2014
If you plan to beef up your staff this busy holiday season, make sure you ask the right questions. Your standard interview questions about long-term goals and career ambitions don’t apply.

Stronger interviews

October 1, 2014
When you are planning to interview someone, draft a script for how you want the conversation to go. Include your questions and plenty of notes. Then study the script well and toss it.

Signs of a bad job candidate

October 1, 2014
Watch for warning signs during a candidate’s interview. They should alert you to tread cautiously.

How to ask sensitive questions

October 1, 2014
When you’re interviewing a job candidate, you may have to ask some potentially sensitive questions. But you won’t have to worry about being accused of discrimination as long as you phrase your questions correctly.

Attract better candidates

September 1, 2014
To find the right candidate for your open position, consider this unorthodox method: Advertise a lower salary than what is industry standard and what you plan to actually pay the person. Why?

Hire freelancers

July 1, 2014
Hiring freelancers is a great way to gain the manpower—and expertise—you need without hiring full-time employees. Follow these tips to hire a freelancer for your team:

Go beyond résumés to hire the best

July 1, 2014
When looking for the best candidate matches for your organization, don’t limit your options by focusing only on a list of arbitrary skills and qualifications.

Hire outside your industry

June 1, 2014
Gautam Mukunda is an assistant professor at Harvard Business School who has closely studied effective leaders. His research has led him to believe that hiring outsiders for leadership positions can often be the most effective solution. The same idea can apply to any position.

Match the behavior to the job

May 1, 2014
Hiring for attitude makes a lot of sense. After all, you can teach smart people new skills, but you’ll never turn a curmudgeon into an optimist at heart. Just make sure you understand how a particular personality trait will translate into on-the-job performance.