Interview technique assistance please

[patientlady]

Hi
I am interviewing for a Sales Administrator on Tuesday and have 8 appointments at 45 intervals. I must say I am not looking forward to this. I am certainly not trained in these skills which will be clear from the outset. I have explained that it will be an informal interview and have asked also what there salary expectation is on the phone. I have had a brief conversation with each interviewee just to see how confident there telephone manner is, so as to whittle down the applicants.
Just wondered if there are some obvious pointers? I do not wish to ask any daft questions like 'If you are standing at a bar buying a drink, what would your work colleagues be saying about you? and so on
I thought that maybe I should explain the envisaged position,but not sure where to go from there.
Any pointers would certainly be appreciated. Thank you so much
(I have in a separate thread asked about any info I will require by law)

 

[Bri]

Generally talk about their experience to date,it must match with whats written on their c.v.

How does it relate to the position your offering, what can they bring to the position.
Why do they want to work for you.

Make a few notes about each interviewee before hand form anything that stands out or shouts out embellishment of the truth....e.g. I love playing the drums.

More importantly, dont ramble and dont waffle about yourself, be concise and non commital.

 

[vvaannmmaann]

Don't forget the interview classic ... "And where do you see yourself in five years time?"
Perhaps my response should not have been,"I won't be sitting behind that desk asking pointless questions"

 

[telemax]

For goodness sake don't ask the classic

"what are your weaknesses?" question

 

[captaincloser]

Just remember that just about anyone can be 'normal' for a 45 minute interview.

So have a second phone interview with your short list. Bring them in again after that...to make sure.

It is never easy to deal with the 'normal' person sitting opposite you.

Take your time....

 

[KM-Tiger]

Two techniques I've used to great effect in the past:

See if you can find something in common with the candidate, perhaps an interest. Don't mention it during the interview. At the end stand up and say your "thanks for coming" and then as you walk them to the door, slip in a "by the way what do you think of" and mention the common interest. The candidate thinks the interview has ended and is likely to me much more candid in their comments.

Only works if you have premises: get your most nosey, most chatty member of staff to "show them round", and then get feedback afterwards. Again outside the formal interview the candidate may well say things they would never say in the interview.

 

[Paul Norman]

45 minutes is a very short time. Hopefully, you will short list and interview again, in more depth. This is too important for both you and the successful candidate.

Avoid everything people tell you traditionally about interviews. Including, as above, the 'what are your weakness' questions. Not a fair question. And you will learn little.

At a top level here is what you need to do.

Write down the 5 (no more, less is ok) absolutely essential skills and qualities this job needs. Be ruthless with yourself, and really, really clear. Make them specific, too. Oh..and legal.

Now focus on satisfying yourself that the candidates possess those qualities and skills. Score them. Be fair, ruthlessless fair. Do not compromise, or let them off simply because they seem nice. Let the questions flow naturally to explore these areas. Ask for specific responses, and drill down if you are not certain.

Work hard to put the candidates at ease. It is important for you that they perform well. This is not a high stress position, so no value in seeing how they perform when stressed, and an interview is stressful enough anyway.

Go with your scorings above your gut feel. I promise you that is the way to do it!

Oh, and see them again, for a second interview. Or at least the ones, no more than 3, than get through this in the podium slots.

 

[patientlady]

For goodness sake don't ask the classic

"what are your weaknesses?" question

Yes i agree thats another of those daft questions

 

[ultro]

I have a simple rule for interviewing people - get them (as much as possible) to show you what they would do the job like. I'm sick of hiring people who promise the world and just can't do the job. Get them going through a few role plays to see how they do. Also - and I know this is hard - try to judge them on the basis of the role play and not if you like them or now. Don't hire someone that is a 'good bloke' and can't do the job.

 

[cjd]

Two practices I've found useful are talking a lot myself at the very beginning and funnelling.

Everyone gets nervous at interview (including the interviewer) and unless you start an interview right, it can get worse. I've seen a candidate get so nervous that I know if I'd asked his name he would have fainted. Never ask a difficult question at the beginning of an interview just chat for a while and let the interviewee get used to the situation. After that, the job is to talk as little as you can yourself and let them get on with it.

Funnelling is a really powerful technique that starts with a wide open question like 'tell me about your current job.' Once he starts rabbiting on, pick something he's said that sounds interesting and ask about that, then do it again and again until you've drilled down to a real detail. If you ask something like 'what's the most difficult decision you've had to make?' then funnel that down to the end you can see how he made the decision, how he decided on what mattered, what he had to compromise over, what evidence he got together, how he felt about it, whether he brought others into it, whether it worked, why it didn't etc etc.

You can only really get useful information about people by asking them in depth about how they handled situations in the past ie what actually happened and how they dealt with it - asking hypothetical questions like 'what would you do if x happened?" gets you an invented hypothetical answer.

 

[efficiencycoach]

Firstly good luck!

Some suggestions for you... have a standard interview plan, which you replicate for each candidate. This will help you when you get to the third interview and don't know what to ask, but will also make sure you ask the right questions and have a standard benchmark to measure everyone against. (Plus, will be a small bit of protection against a discrimination case which could be brought against you by an applicant)

Some questions NOT to ask: (these will get you into hot water with discrimination legislation)
Do you have children of school age?
Are you planning to get married/have a baby in the near future?
Are you religious/gay?

When thinking about your interview plan, think what skills, behaviours and attitudes are important for the right candidate to have. Then construct some questions to see how well the candidate can demonstrate these:

"Tell me about a time when you...."
"Give me an example of when you..."

Have a simple scoring system for each question: 0 = not answered through to 3= lots of evidence given

An easy question to start with, and break the ice (plus see how well they have done their research. Your motivated and committed candidates WILL have done this research) is:

"what do you know about this role and my company?"

As it is only you doing the interview on the phone (I am assuming), ask permission to record the interview, so you can listen back to the interviews at a later date.

As previous posts have suggested, use this telephone interview as a means to whittle your 8 candidates down to a shortlist of 2 or 3.

Remember that you should be talking at max 20% of the time - and listening, probing for the remaining time.

Some testing questions, to test commitment & enthusiasm for the role are:

• why should we employ you?
• why do you want this role?

I hope this helps

 

[cjd]

[*]why should we employ you?

I really, really hate that question! I think it can only be answered by braggarts and Americans ;-)

I was asked it once and had to bite back "Isn't that your job?"

 

[efficiencycoach]

I realise you may hate that question - as it is a tough question to be able to answer well and not come across as arrogant.

Many people forget then they are looking for a job they are in fact selling themselves. If you were selling a product or a service into a company, you would be expected to be able to answer the question, why should we buy your product or service?

So, why not job seekers?

 

[maxine]

I think to be fair the question Why should we employ you is pretty standard and one that the applicant should have prepared for. They get the chance to say why they feel they are well matched and give a longer term answer not just short term and considering this is a sales role I wouldn't expect the applicant to be shy

 

[cjd]

Yup, all the sales guys will think that a fair question and it's absolutely standard.

I just think it's a licence to lie well if you can ;-)

 

[captaincloser]

Out here it's the questions you 'can't ask' for fear of some form of 'discrimination' that are the ones every sane employer wants answered. Most employers use their loaf rather than a textbook.

I know of two small business employers who have been caught out when they asked prospective employees if 'They knew of anything significant' that should be revealed at an interview.....both prospects were pregnant and one very small (female owned) company nearly hit the buffers because of the deception and what it meant to the company later.

Interviewers need to be very smart to make sure they are not 'breaking the law' and also NOT outsmarted by devious interviewees.

Also as for the guy who suggests role play in an interview....any interviewer using this 'Sea lion' trick (I can only say this is true in a sales interview) should be fired. If you ever hear the words 'Sell me this pencil' or similar from an interviewer...get up and walk out without saying another word. You are dealing with a bully. If the interviewer cannot spot a loser without resorting to this trick he needs firing.

 

[maxine]

That's funny you should say that captaincloser as that's exactly what happened to me last week and it made me feel like a sea lion!! I had to sit in a meeting room and phone the md to demonstrate that I could represent the company in the way they wanted me to, and talk about their range of IT products ... And this is as an external telemarketing agency rather than an employee! I wasn't expecting it but me being me just shrugged it off and got on with it. Even though I know I did well by handling all the objections well and getting him to agree to appointment on the phone, and even though I have got the contract it really made me want to walk away and say thanks but no thanks afterwards!

And this was from an MD who made no secret of loathing telemarketing but realised it was the right thing for them at this time, and who had no experience of call handling himself!

 

[captaincloser]

How interesting Maxine... I suspect / expect you have a very strong personality.

All MD's tele-market every time they pick up the phone as the head honcho of their company. It never ceases to amaze how many people (MD's in particular) pretend they are not in sales and know nothing about telemarketing... and also pretend they need to test the person who has come to see them. How transparent.

Good luck with the contract and well done for standing your ground....I fully expect you to PM me when you discover your man in this company is indeed a bully .

Everyone who plays the Sea Lion card has bullying tendencies...it's just so manipulative ,condescending and frankly debasing to the person who is playing at being subordinate already without the Sea lion act as well ! The Sea Lion act always has the conclusion that the 'trainer' desires....because he asks/answers the questions. Its a power play before you even get the work....

 

[Wild Goose]

I'm confused - does your sales administrator position require sales skills, or administration skills, or both?

I have a client who paid an employment agency £1k+ for a sales negotiator who was every bit as tenacious as Max and could flog sand to Arabs, but it turned out he couldn't read or write. No, no, not dyslexic, but illiterate. Stange thing is it took them all of a month to find that out as the guy took his girlfriend along on his calls to do the scribing.

Basic three R skills aside, I like the ploy of putting 3 chairs at different points around your desk: one opposite you at 12 o'clock; one on the corner of the desk at 1 o'clock; and one on the side of your desk at 3 o'clock. Invite them to take a seat: if they sit in the chair opposite they're using the desk as a barrier and are either too timid or suffering from a them/us complex; if they choose the chair at the side of your desk they're over-confident or over-familiar; and of course if they sit on the corner then that's the right sized bowl of porridge. I hope I've remembered that correctly.

I think asking anyone why they want to join your firm or take that job is a waste of time. They're replying to an advertisement, and cannot possibly know whether or not they want the job or not until the interview is concluded and all things, T & Cs and salaries included, have been discussed.

Asking them what their weaknesses are is a good one just to see how they handle that question: if they blurt out their weaknesses then I reckon you've got a dud. I always used to answer that one with "I'm very punctual, and tend to get over-annoyed with people who aren't".

Good hunting!

 

[patientlady]

I'm confused - does your sales administrator position require sales skills, or administration skills, or both?

Good hunting!

Hi Wildgoose
No confusion here. A Sales administrator is what I require.

 

[Bri]

I'm confused - does your sales administrator position require sales skills, or administration skills, or both?

I have a client who paid an employment agency £1k+ for a sales negotiator who was every bit as tenacious as Max and could flog sand to Arabs, but it turned out he couldn't read or write. No, no, not dyslexic, but illiterate. Stange thing is it took them all of a month to find that out as the guy took his girlfriend along on his calls to do the scribing.

Basic three R skills aside, I like the ploy of putting 3 chairs at different points around your desk: one opposite you at 12 o'clock; one on the corner of the desk at 1 o'clock; and one on the side of your desk at 3 o'clock. Invite them to take a seat: if they sit in the chair opposite they're using the desk as a barrier and are either too timid or suffering from a them/us complex; if they choose the chair at the side of your desk they're over-confident or over-familiar; and of course if they sit on the corner then that's the right sized bowl of porridge. I hope I've remembered that correctly.

I think asking anyone why they want to join your firm or take that job is a waste of time. They're replying to an advertisement, and cannot possibly know whether or not they want the job or not until the interview is concluded and all things, T & Cs and salaries included, have been discussed.

Asking them what their weaknesses are is a good one just to see how they handle that question: if they blurt out their weaknesses then I reckon you've got a dud. I always used to answer that one with "I'm very punctual, and tend to get over-annoyed with people who aren't".

Good hunting!

...with all this role play, phsycometric testing, its pathetic. I want someone who can do work not build me a bridge across a river to get me supplies back so I can feed the troops or interrogate me like Jack Bauer. Leave that to the military.

 

[Wild Goose]

...with all this role play, phsycometric testing, its pathetic. I want someone who can do work not build me a bridge across a river to get me supplies back so I can feed the troops or interrogate me like Jack Bauer. Leave that to the military.

I have no idea what all that means. Do you always talk in abstracts? Is English your second language?

 

[Bri]

I have no idea what all that means. Do you always talk in abstracts? Is English your second language?

...being interviewed here?

Putting chairs at abstract positions doesnt tell you anything, your own instinct tells you about what a person is like and their ability to do the work that they are being interviewed to to do based on what corelate with their c.v. or application( which is why application forms should be filled in as well).

Putting up pshycological tests and reading body language can be manipulated by the interviewee as well.Doesnt take an idiot.

Engleesh enough for you:|

 

[Wild Goose]

...being interviewed here?

Putting chairs at abstract positions doesnt tell you anything, your own instinct tells you about what a person is like and their ability to do the work that they are being interviewed to to do based on what corelate with their c.v. or application( which is why application forms should be filled in as well).

Putting up pshycological tests and reading body language can be manipulated by the interviewee as well.Doesnt take an idiot.

Engleesh enough for you:|

I keep imagining you fingering your cigar as though playing the flute, eyebrows dancing like hyperactive caterpillars, Harpo and Zeppo nodding their heads in agreement. But, try as I might, I still can't fathom a word of it. If it doesn't take an idiot then what does it take? The opposite? A genius, perhaps?

What the deuce!? I'm off for my afternoon nap!

 

[maxine]

Good luck with the contract and well done for standing your ground....I fully expect you to PM me when you discover your man in this company is indeed a bully .

That's the thing. I didn't stand my ground! I went along with it and really I shouldn't have done. It won't necessarily be me actually making the calls so in that respect it makes a mockery of the process as I was just there that day for the sales meeting. They have been the only client I have had that has been like this since I started doing this so I was a bit taken back to be honest. But as you say, I expect to PM you very soon

It was consultancy advice in a jar for them. They got to quiz and question why certain approaches would be best and they got the answers. I could kick myself really but hey ho, lessons learned and all that

How would you have handled that meeting?

 

[captaincloser]

Hi Maxine, I suggest handling all meetings the same.I provide a service and I am NOT job hunting and that makes all the difference. If someone wants a performing seal they need to go elsewhere. Even if you have your own business you will often be treated by some as a 'job' seeker.That will have happened to you same as me I am sure. Just scotch that from the get-go.

Your potential client may well be seeking to steal your USP's in the first meeting (happens often) and also selling a service linked to sales needs supreme confidence to the point of not caring if you have their business (this needs to be very subtle). Be confident and be cool and happy to walk. This advice really only works if YOU are going to do the work yourself and are very good. Business owners often need 'coaching' into a workable solution to their sales issues.

If you are good at what you do and divorce yourself from personal feelings about the 'client' you will get the desired conversions and you will avoid the gerbils and feel great about what you do ... and nobody will have you spinning a brightly painted ball on the tip of your nose.

Nobody gets close to asking me to do a seal trick. It's the way I growl in the meetings I think. And yes, I do get most of the work I pitch for. You just need to be careful what you pitch for...most people should be doing 'sales' of all forms in-house (including appointment making) and I tell them that and it often goes down like a lead balloon. Many people looking for 'help' we are actually unable to help...a fact of business life. You have to make sure the work is indeed 'doable' as the Americans would say.

Cherry picking is the secret..You'll know what I mean.

 

[maxine]

Thanks CC The silly thing is that I did play it very cool at the first meeting and said outright that it would be better for me not to take this on and for them to find someone else. I explained why and even recommended some competitors but we got over this hurdle with a bit of professionalism and common sense.

The MD and the seal fiasco was a last minute thing and it was clear that the other people who had been involved in the meetings thus far were more uncomfortable about it than I was (I obviously have thick skin lol).

But, it has shown me that the people I have been meeting with are a) not the decision makers b) their MD doesn't trust their decisions c) that I am walking into a hornets nest now if I take this on. Fundamentally I find it too difficult to take advice, feedback and guidance from someone on how to sell their product when they haven't got the first clue (and are plain wrong!). Rather than spend my time as teacher, trainer and consultant, I would rather walk away and leave them to it if they cannot either let me get on with it (and provide a guarantee or payment structure to support the risk) or pay me for my time providing consultancy and trainingservices for them.

In an employment scenario I would feel exactly the same if there was an interfering director/senior manager who did not trust people to get the job done and who implemented controlling processes and demonstrated behaviours to the point of being a bully. I just wouldn't work there! (and believe me, I have worked for a few of them before )

 

[patientlady]

Thanks everyone for all your help on this! Advert placed wk one. Sifted through CV's wk two. Interviewed Mon & Tues wk 3. Job offer Wed and accepted. Start wk 4, woo
Lets hope I picked the right one

 

[cakeboy]

so which bits of all of the above advice did you use? What worked what didnt?

 

[patientlady]

so which bits of all of the above advice did you use? What worked what didnt?

Interestingly cakeboy, a little bit of this & that but no psychometric testing... One crucial part of this, which I now know, was that I didn't ask them to complete an application form at interview! I was against this as I felt it was not neccesary.
Of course its neccesary. You can find out whether the applicant can spell and there health history. I suppose you live and learn....

 

[Wild Goose]

We cut out the middle-man and found our own firm of accountants in India to process our work. Under £7 an hour.

Sounded good, except that everything seemed to take them twice as long as it takes us here. And after the honeymoon period they raised their rate to £10 an hour. The time difference meant we were having to get up at the crack of dawn to iron out work-flow issues, otherwise our "staff" were being paid to sit around. Furthermore, there are not inconsiderable data protection and security issues to overcome.

Our website now carries the Union Jack, bearing the "No Offshore Outsourcing" slogan.

 

[Bri]

Shame on you but welcome back to giving the work to onshore companies.

 

[captaincloser]

Yes welcome back and give yourself a slap on the wrist.

I know more people who have come back with their appointment making,accountancy, web design etc etc than stayed away. Come to think of it I do not know a single company or freelancer who has gone offshore and stayed offshore for these services.

The rosey outlook that was painted never materialised in most cases. Cheap is cheap and usually comes at a cost !

Welcome back indeed. We all live and learn...