Tips for Choosing the Right Employee When There's More Than One Match

If you're reading this article, the chances are you've recently advertised both within and outside your company for a position, screened a number of applicants and come up with a decent-sized pile of good applications from qualified individuals. Some of the people who have applied seem to have exactly the experience you want, others have the educational background you're looking for, still others look like they have the mindset you want, and maybe a few even have a pleasant combination of the three. The big question now is, which one do you hire?

If you find yourself in this position, the interview process will be even more important than usual for you, so you need to prepare yourself just as much as the applicant does. If you have a firm structure in place, the interview will go smoothly and give you the information you need. Ideally you have at least five applicants lined up, but don't lower your standards just to meet that number.

The questions you ask will be vital in your decision-making process, so be certain to ask only the questions that will separate your ideal employee from the rest of the group. Be sure to cover the required licenses or educational background for the position in question, so the candidate is crystal clear on whether or not they meet those requisites.

In cases where you're seriously considering more than one applicant, problem-solving questions are especially important to get an idea of how each candidate thinks. One good example of this is to ask them about a recent obstacle that your company has faced that relates to the job they're applying for, and ask them how they would handle and/or solve the problem.

Always give the candidate a few minutes to show you how much they want the job and exactly why they're a good match for the position, and allow them to ask any questions they might have about the job.

Once the interview is finished, you should be in a better position to see who's the best possible candidate, and may even be able to offer the job to that person right away. Or you may discover you still have a few candidates to choose from. In this case, write out a list of strengths for each candidate, and decide if those strengths will compliment or hinder those of your current employees. You'll either come to a firm decision by that, or you'll need to actually bring in your current employees and discuss the candidates with them. If you prefer, you can even include those employees you trust in the interview process so they have a firsthand account of the proceedings, and can give you their own opinions to add to your own.