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Sweet marketing music

Tanner Montague came to town from Seattle having never owned his own music venue before. He’s a musician himself, so he has a pretty good sense of good music, but he also wandered into a crowded music scene filled with concert venues large and small.But the owner of Green Room thinks he found a void in the market. It’s lacking, he says, in places serving between 200 and 500 people, a sweet spot he thinks could be a draw for both some national acts not quite big enough yet for arena gigs and local acts looking for a launching pad.“I felt that size would do well in the city to offer more options,” he says. “My goal was to A, bring another option for national acts but then, B, have a great spot for local bands to start.”Right or wrong, something seems to be working, he says. He’s got a full calendar of concerts booked out several months. How did he, as a newcomer to the market in an industry filled with competition, get the attention of the local concertgoer?

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by Mary Diebold
August - September 2009

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Ask questions to choose between two candidates

The problem? You can’t decide whom to choose because both candidates meet your criteria and possess similar experience.

While it’s an enviable staffing-related problem to have, particularly during a recession, the situation still makes for a difficult hiring decision. Following are tips to consider and additional questions to ask to help you identify the person who’s truly best suited for the job. Our company’s focus is on finance and accounting professionals, but most of these tips apply to any field.

Beneath the surface

Ask both candidates back for follow-up interviews so you can dig deeper. Engage them in conversations that provide more insight into their personalities, work styles and critical-thinking skills. Consider asking open-ended questions such as, “Describe a politically sensitive situation in your former workplace and how you resolved the problem,” or “What was your biggest professional setback and how did you handle it?” Frequently, what distinguishes outstanding employees is the ability to solve dilemmas and learn from their mistakes.

Additionally, ask each candidate to explain quantifiable examples of how they added value to their previous company. Perhaps they put a new process in place that reduced expenditures or unnecessary overhead costs, or found a creative way to increase productivity among employees. Pay close attention not only to the results each candidate achieved, but also to how they did it. Does one candidate demonstrate a better ability to “think outside the box” than the other? Which do you think could come up with the best solutions for your firm?

Spotlight people skills

In today’s challenging economic environment, any new hire should possess strong technical skills and a bottom-line focus. But because so much business today is founded on collaboration, it’s also wise to focus on less-tangible qualities such as interpersonal abilities. In fact, a recent survey of CFOs done by our company found that 50 percent of those interviewed said interpersonal abilities are the most important communication skill for professionals.

Although trying to identify the person who possesses the stronger team-building and interpersonal skills can be daunting, especially during the interview process where nervousness and stress are likely a factor, it’s not impossible. Again, hiring managers should utilize behavioral questions during the interview to assess the candidate’s communication skills. For example, “How have you explained complex financial issues to coworkers who lack a finance background.” Or “Describe a project involving multiple departments and how you coordinated everyone’s efforts to achieve the same goal.”

Observe the ability to clearly explain work responsibilities,contributions and experiences. Listening to what is said between thelines as well as the tone of a candidate’s response can offer insightinto their personality and work ethic. Overly critical descriptions offormer managers’ or colleagues’ shortcomings or placing blame mayindicate an individual who does not interact well with others.

Finance and technology go hand-in-hand in companies today andtechnology skills will only increase in importance in the coming years.In fact, 50 percent of CFOs our company interviewed recently said otherthan knowledge of accounting and finance, information technologyexperience is most useful in their careers.

Knowledge and aptitude for technology is important at all levels ofaccounting and finance because information technology is integratedthrough virtually every aspect of a company. Candidates who are awareof current and evolving technology trends can help leverage technologyto your company’s advantage, provide insight into the value of newsystems and evaluate the outcome of potential upgrades and help youmake informed decisions on technology-related investments.

If one of the two candidates you are evaluating has a higher-level oftechnical knowledge and demonstrates a willingness and ability to stayabreast of future trends, this person just might be in a betterposition to help your company grow in the world’s changing technologylandscape.

Problem-solving prowess

It’s no secret that problems arise near-daily in the business world,and your new employee, especially one being considered for a management role, should be ready to meet those issues head-on. Not only is the ability to address problems good for the bottom line, but it’s also critical for employee retention.  Employees expect that their manager stake their concerns seriously, and move quickly to address them.

During the interview, consider asking questions that address bothoperational problems as well as employee concerns. Questions such as,”Describe a unique challenge that arose in your previous company’soperations and what you did to correct it.” And, “How did you handlesituations where employees came to you with concerns” can lead to abetter insight into your candidate’s problem-solving abilities.

Look for excitement

Which person displays more enthusiasm about the job opportunity and passion for the field? Upbeat applicants who demonstrate eagerness to learn, grow and tackle new challenges will likely bring the same initiative and positive attitude to their jobs. Ask questions such as,”How do you keep your skills current?” to gauge the candidate’s career ambitions and commitment to professional development.

Also consider the applicant’s background not just in terms if they area good fit for the position or the skills they offer, but also willthis candidate be likely to want to stay with your firm long-term?

Mary Diebold,
Robert Half
Management Resources:
612.337.5446
mary.diebold@rhmr.com
www.rhmr.com