Chapter 5 Recruitment, Hiring, Orientation, and Retention 5.1 How can I make sure I hire the right person? If managers are filling an entry-level position, they should talk to the candidate about his or her accomplishments at school. Ask candidates, ‘‘What do you consider to be your most significant accomplishment.’’ Then ask questions to determine how really significant the accomplishment was. Need someone with lots of energy? Ask him or her about handling multiple priorities. Would this represent a problem? Ask about instances in which he or she had occasion to address tight deadlines. Maturity doesn’t come with age. It is an outlook. Probe to find out about a candidate’s attitudes. Ask a candidate about the most important decision he or she made and how it affected his or her life, or—better yet—if he or she could start all over, what would he or she do. If the person has visions of winning the lottery and going into business with the winning funds, you might want to look elsewhere for that steady, reliable employee you need.
Tell Me More Past experience will alert you to a candidate’s fit within your organization. For instance, if you are looking for a new staff member, you want to know how you and the applicant will work together. Ask the applicant, ‘‘Of all the managers you worked for, describe the supervisory methods of the one you enjoyed working for most?’’ Follow this question with: ‘‘You told me about the managers you 96