Let’s face it. There are many great hiring managers out there, but few are good at interviewing. Over the course of my career, I’ve interviewed thousands of people and it has taken me a while to figure out what works. Is there a “silver bullet” question out there? No. But there is a question that will help you peel the layers of the onion of each candidate you evaluate:

What single project or task would you consider the most significant accomplishment in your career so far?

Think about it. What would you say? Then imagine over the course of the next 15-20 minutes I dug deeper and asked you about the following. How would you respond?
• Can you give me a detailed overview of the accomplishment?
• Tell me about the company, your title, your position, your role, and the team involved.
• What were the actual results achieved?
• When did it take place and how long did the project take.
• Why you were chosen?
• What were the 3-4 biggest challenges you faced and how did you deal with them?
• Where did you go the extra mile or take the initiative?
• Walk me through the plan, how you managed to it, and if it was successful.
• Describe the environment and resources.
• Describe your manager’s style and whether you liked it or not.
• Describe the technical skills needed to accomplish the objective and how they were used.
• Some of the biggest mistakes you made.
• Aspects of the project you truly enjoyed.
• Aspects you didn’t especially care about and how you handled them.
• How you managed and influenced others, with lots of examples.
• How you were managed, coached, and influenced by others, with lots of examples.
• How you changed and grew as a person.
• What you would do differently if you could do it again.
• What type of formal recognition did your receive?

Why is this effective? It allows you to compare what the candidate accomplished compared to what needed to be accomplished. Did they exceed, meet, or fall short? If the accomplishment was comparable to a real job requirement, and if the answer was detailed enough to take 15-20 minutes to complete, consider how much an interviewer would know about your ability to handle the job.

Here are 13 outrageous and real interview mistakes that surveyed employers have experienced and how you should avoid them.

Strange interview mistake No. 1: Candidate said he had to quit a banking position because he was always tempted to steal.

Why it’s a mistake: No one wants to hire a potential thief.

What you should do: Say you wanted to explore other options or you needed a position that aligned with your career goals. Honesty is great, but an employer doesn’t want to hear that you’re possibly going to rob the company.

Strange interview mistake No. 2: Candidate denied that he had a cell phone with him even though it could be heard ringing in his briefcase.

Why it’s a mistake: A ringing phone is a simple mistake; a lie is a deal breaker.

What you should do: Say, “Excuse me” and quickly turn the ringer off. A sincere apology shows you’re sorry and lets you get back to the conversation at hand.

Strange interview mistake No. 3: Candidate emptied the employer’s candy dish into her pocket.

Why it’s a mistake: It’s just weird.

What you should do: Take a single piece of candy like a normal person. Pouring the entire bowl of candy into your purse makes it seem like you have no manners.

Strange interview mistake No. 4: Candidate said he didn’t like getting up early and didn’t like to read.

Why it’s a mistake: Separately, these statements sound like red flags warning the employer you’re not keen on working too hard. Together, these statements are worrisome.

What you should do: If early morning isn’t your preferred time to rise, you can admit that as long as you counter it by saying you have no trouble staying late. This works only if getting up early isn’t vital to the position for which you’re applying. Also, if you’re asked what books you’ve read recently, you should have at least one title to mention. If the questions continue down that path, explain that you spend most of your time outdoors or doing something else productive with your time.

Strange interview mistake No. 5: Candidate asked to be paid “under the table.”

Why it’s a mistake: Ethical employers frown on illegal activity.

What you should do: Don’t ask to be paid illegally.

Strange interview mistake No. 6: Candidate reached over and placed a hand on the interviewer’s knee.

Why it’s a mistake: Aside from the handshake, you shouldn’t touch the interviewer.

What you should do: Keep your hands folded on your lap, writing in your notebook or resting on the table. Basically, keep them anywhere that isn’t the interviewer’s body.

Strange interview mistake No. 7: Candidate commented that he would do whatever it takes to get the job done, legal or not.

Why it’s a mistake: Crossing the line from passionate to a legal liability is worrisome for a company.

What you should do: Stress your passion for the job and how eager you are to reach the company’s goals. Employers want to know you’ve got the strong will to make things happen, not that you’re breaking the law on their behalf.

Strange interview mistake No. 8: Candidate hugged the president of the company.

Why it’s a mistake: Hugging is never appropriate in an interview.

What you should do: Unless there is some very unusual exception to the rule, interviewers and job seekers shouldn’t hug. You really shouldn’t hug the president of the company, unless you’ve been asked to do so. (And if you have been asked to hug the president, you probably should find out why.)

Strange interview mistake No. 9: Candidate called his wife to see what they were having for dinner.

Why it’s a mistake: Your focus should be on the interview. Phone calls are never appropriate mid-interview.

What you should do: If there’s an urgent matter, such as your child is sick, explain to the interviewer that you might need to step out of the room if an emergency call comes in or that rescheduling might work better. What’s for dinner is not an emergency.

Strange interview mistake No. 10: Candidate asked to postpone the start date so she could still get holiday gifts from vendors at her current job.

Why it’s a mistake: That’s not a good excuse.

What you should do: If this or any other frivolous reason is why you want to postpone the start date, make up a better reason. Simply saying, “I have a prior engagement I can’t get out of,” is better than saying “I want gifts.”

Strange interview mistake No. 11: Candidate called in sick to her current employer during the interview, faking an illness.

Why it’s a mistake: You’re showing your potential boss that you have no trouble lying.

What you should do: Interviewing is tricky, because you usually have to lie in order to get out of the office to get to the interview. Employers know that. However, they don’t need you to tell that lie in front of them. It’s a sign that you don’t know how to be discreet and professional.

Strange interview mistake No. 12: Candidate said he didn’t want the job if he had to work a lot.

Why it’s a mistake: No one will hire a lazy person.

What you should do: Don’t admit you don’t want to work a lot. If there’s one thing you shouldn’t say in an interview, it’s that you’re looking for a job where hard work isn’t a requirement.

Strange interview mistake No. 13: Candidate wouldn’t answer a question, because he thought they would steal his idea and not hire him.

Why it’s a mistake: This answer makes you sound greedy and paranoid.

What you should do: You definitely don’t want to hand over all of your genius ideas and secrets, because a crooked company could steal them. However, you should be prepared to give a sample of your ideas, because sitting in silence or refusing to answer the question doesn’t help the interviewer evaluate you.

1.Book yourself silly for January
We all know that December is challenging for recruiters because you have about a 2 1/2 week window of guaranteed productivity before the “holiday lag” sets in. During this time, you’re probably trying to finish up projects and get orders closed so you’re extremely busy. However, what do you do during the down time of the last few weeks of the month? The answer is… start prepping for January. This is the time of the year when you should be reaching out to every current and prospective client as a way to book business opportunities for 2013. Before you know it, you’ll be hitting the ground running in January and the December “holiday lag” will be long gone.

2.Reprioritize WHO and WHAT
To piggy back on strategy #1, I suggest you reprioritize WHO you focus on, WHAT you focus on marketing to them, and craft a timely and purposeful MESSAGE to those needs. This year is ending and there are lots of businesses that run their fiscal year on the annual calendar and need to make some important decisions about the budget for the upcoming year. Completely reprioritize your prospecting list to those types of clients that have these year-end closing challenges and opportunities. Focus your service offerings to meet those needs and adjust your marketing messaging to communicate to those needs.

3.Make deposits into relationship accounts
I think it was Stephen Covey who defined relationships as emotional bank accounts. During any exchange, or transaction, you are either depositing money or you are withdrawing it. What we know for sure is, just like a real bank account, you cannot withdraw any money if there is NO money in the account. The month of December is a great time to make large deposits into lots of relationship accounts. The goal is to walk into the new year flush with cash. The way to do this is to give, give, give in December.

Hiring managers, if you are currently seeking to fill an open position, please read this. Have you considered mapping out the steps and processes it takes for you to make a hiring decision? How long does it take your organization to fill openings? From our estimation in today’s environment, for most organizations it takes TOO LONG, leaving potential candidates wondering what’s going on. When this happens strong candidates you may finally decide to pursue may take another (even less desirable) position while waiting, resulting in an unnecessary loss for both the organization and the individual.

Some organizations are especially guilty of dragging their collective feet, as committees deliberate and deliberate, while its members are off doing more important things. The excuse may be – the position is “too important” to hurry.

But consider this – in 1978 the Catholic Church selected two popes in a period of 71 days. As the leaders of over 750 million people, you might agree it was a pretty important position.

Most of the time, we have hiring managers tell candidates that their organizations are built on a fast paced cultures and things move quickly. But then send the complete opposite message in its hiring.

What message are you sending to prospective employees? How long would you wait to join your organization?

As the economy starts to rebound, we’ve seen more of a focus on probably the most overlooked part of the hiring process… on-boarding. At times, companies make the mistake of assuming the hiring process ends once the candidate accepts their employment offer. Yes, acceptance is a key part, but now it is time to capitalize on your investment. If the on-boarding process is incomplete, then companies are at risk of losing all of their investment of time, training, resources, etc. it took to acquire their most sought after talent.

To help you with the on-boarding process, below are 5 steps which may help ensure your new hire experiences a smooth transition to your company.
1. After the offer is accepted, the hiring manager should send a personal email welcoming the new employee to the team and company.
2. As the new employee is working through their 2wk notice with their former employer, the hiring manager should be in contact with the employee a couple times a week to keep them engaged with their new role. This can be accomplished by providing them marketing information to help learn company services and solutions, completing hiring documents, etc. (This is a critical time as the employee could consider changing their mind and “no start”.)
3. Before the new hire’s start date, make sure all travel arrangements (if needed) and equipment are in place (i.e. computer, company email, CRM, phone, etc.) so the new hire can hit ground running.
4. If the new employee is working remote (i.e. not in office), then assign them with a mentor. This mentor should be someone besides the hiring manager so they can reach out for questions, guidance, and feel connected to HQ.
5. Through the first 90 days, make sure the new employee is continuing to be integrated into the corporate culture and is feeling a sense of belonging. If they feel like a part of the family, you will ensure longevity with your investment.

Remember, hiring is a process and not just a quick transaction.

PVP stands for personal value proposition and it’s the reason why an employer should hire you or promote you over someone else.  In today’s economy, I wouldn’t be surprised if you have found yourself caught up in a merger, layoff, or simply interested in better career opportunities.

When faced with these situations, are you thinking about your strengths? What can you offer a potential new employer that sets you apart from others? Take these 5 steps towards finding your PVP. After all, a successful career strategy stands on the shoulders of a strong PVP.

1. List your strengths.
2. Ask others for input.
3. Revisit past feedback.
4. “Hire” yourself.
5. Revisit your strength list.

You’ve been through the entire interview process with your new prospective employer. Now what? Anyone who is considering a career move knows how challenging this can be. Hopefully, you’ve been taking mental notes and evaluating your personal and professional fit throughout the interview process. You just got the offer you’ve been working so hard for! So now you’re asking yourself:

• Should I make the move and start with this employer or not?

Here are some questions to help you turn the “gray” into black & white. While these will be helpful after you’ve received the offer, it’s important to consider them DURING the interviews.

1. What were the primary reasons for my initial interest in this opportunity?
2. Do those reasons still exist?
3. Does this opportunity leverage my expertise and connections to allow me to be successful?
4. Does my past experience set me up to succeed in this role?
5. Does this new employer reflect my core values personally and/or professionally?
6. Do I get along with the hiring manager?
7. Is the position something I can be passionate about?
8. Who do I know in this profession that can give me an honest insight?
9. What struggles do I anticipate will occur when I move? Am I OK with that?
10. Financially, will this new position put me where I want to be?
11. Will my friends and family support me?

Making a career change involves the heart and the head. An objective view will lead to a logical decision. Asking these and other tough questions will keep objectivity in place.

As a hiring manager are your pressed for time and tired of sifting through tons of resumes that don’t even come close to meeting your job requirements? If so it might be time to rethink your hiring strategy for 2012. Based on the below article, Recruiters Rethinking Online Playbook by Joe Light, companies are starting to transition away from job board postings and website postings to attract the majority of their talent. With the talent marketing condensing, contrary to the unemployment rate, the candidates who have the experience to meet companies’ hiring requirements are more passive. Meaning they are not actively posting qualification on job boards and need to be found thru good old-fashion networking.

So when you are looking to forecast your 2012 hiring objective, take a moment to reflect on how to best maximize everyone’s time. Chances are the resources that host a network of passive candidates will bring a better return on your investment with your talent hunt then digging through a pile of unqualified resumes.

Recruiters Rethink Online Playbook

http://www.linkedin.com/share?viewLink=&sid=s430696245&url=http%3A%2F%2Flnkd%2Ein%2FH2BmMf&urlhash=nWN1&pk=member-home&pp=&poster=3102288&uid=5487174272998707200&trk=NUS_UNIU_SHARE-title

Has there ever been a time when you made a snap decision? If so, were you right? Now a days, experienced interviewers/hiring managers are also making snap decisions when picking a candidate. In fact, the more experienced the interviewer the more likely they are to make snap judgments. Fair or unfair, we’re heavily influenced by first impressions. If you’re the job candidate you can either complain about the unfairness of it all, or accept that fact. Below is a link to a great article highlighting some common situations in which snap decisions are made.

http://www.bnet.com/blog/small-biz-advice/9-snap-judgments-managers-make-in-job-interviews/3960