Need Help Identifying Bad Hires During the Interview?
When you start the search for a job candidate in a supply chain role, one crucial step can reveal a potential bad hire: the interview.
If you’ve been involved in supply chain hiring for any length of time, you know what a bad hire means: underequipped to perform the job’s responsibilities, not motivated to bring their “A” game to a supply chain workplace, or simply not a good “fit.” Worse yet, bad hires can demoralize an office and set back your company in terms of productivity for a long time.
Here are some ways to identify a bad hire at the interview stage – before they make it into your company.
Find out why your job searcher is on the hunt
People leave jobs in the supply chain industry for thousands of reasons, but as a hiring manager or interviewer, it’s up to you to interpret what that would mean for your organization. For someone who is looking to move into more responsibility or a larger organization, you want to make sure they are prepared to succeed in a more visible role. If they are dissatisfied in their current position, try to use questions to extract what is making them move on. A “bad boss” or a “toxic environment” is a valid reason, but they can also indicate the candidate has a problem working with others.
Put stock in a group interview
The saying that “two eyes are better than one” certainly applies in most interview situations. Different “eyes,” or interviewers, bring their own perspective within the supply chain. They may see clues that lead to an enthusiastic “yes” or a more neutral “let’s keep looking.” Pay attention to their feedback.
Do your due diligence
Some simple fact-checking of your candidate’s statements and claims can spell the difference between the real deal and someone given to exaggeration. Beyond a general reference check, if a candidate tells you that she was responsible for the successful launch of a product, do some checking to verify if the time she worked at that company coincides with the launch, and if the launch actually was successful.
Find out, why this job?
It isn’t enough to know why your job applicant applied to work in a supply chain capacity; ask her why she wants to have this job. As a final question in the interview, it is also a final chance to let that candidate shine. Look for authenticity and enthusiasm, and you’ll be one step closer to hiring a fantastic employee.
ZDA Partners works with companies at every stage of the hiring process. Talk to us today about how to get the best supply chain candidates into your organization.