I used to write frequently on Quora. I did not do that to gain notoriety or exposure, quite the opposite. Instead, I wanted a way to practice my writing, and by doing so frequently, I hoped to better my skills. I had no idea that my content would have nearly 10 million views as of this writing.
I bring this up because I recently responded to a question about how to avoid hiring someone who will be abrasive. A few other responders and I interpreted that as a jerk.
Here is my response.
When calling the candidate’s past managers and supervisors, ask in your own words to those bosses, “If money and need were not issues, would you gladly rehire the person we are interviewing, why or why not?”
Two things I’m looking for:
- A pause. If the answer is ‘no’, you’ll never get an answer, or at least you shouldn’t. That pause will provide a clue about whether to move forward.
- The positive answer – more than likely, this is an A-player. Most positive answers are sincere and honest, and their tone alone can tell you whether they are a solid fit for your culture.
Are false positives still a risk using this tactic? No tactic is foolproof, but I believe your risk of hiring jerks will drop when you use this probing process during the candidate acquisition process.
It’s Your Turn
Did I get the answer right? How would you have responded?
I do have a few follow-up questions:
- Do you have a hiring process that helps ensure you hire candidates who are an ideal fit for your organization?
- There are three parts to the human mind. How do you assess those in the application and interview process?
- What does your onboarding process look like that will lead the candidate to think they picked the right organization to work for?
