As we begin to go down the path of "search season" I thought it would be fitting to share my thoughts around the "perfect" interview you. Now keep in mind, this idea of perfect is purely in my head and means nothing, but I thought I'd take the time to share with my friends and colleagues as they start going down the path of hiring new student, grad and pro staff.
For those that know me, they know that I love analogies. As I work with a bank of questions for an interview I liken it to putting together your batting lineup for game 7 of the world series. So allow me to share with you my thoughts on the rules of putting together your lineup and share the analogy associated with asking questions.
*for this analogy please assume that game 7 will be played in an American League and therefore we will be employing the concept of the Designated Hitter (DH).
Rule: You must evaluate who your opponent is and select the best players given this scenario. This includes the pitcher you will be facing, the layout of the ballpark, who's been in the zone, etc.
Analogy: You must pick the best questions given the scenario. Evaluate what level you are interviewing (and the level applicants are expected to be at), what audience will be asking the question, and the values placed on the position by the organization/institution.
Rule: Always have the speedy, consistent hitter leading off - sets the tone for the entire game.
Analogy: Always lead off with a quick, easy and consistent question. Sets the tone for the interview and allows the candidate to get warmed up and get some good mojo on base.
Rule: #2 and #3 in the line-up need to be people who can make contact, move the lead-off around to scoring position and get on-base to set the stage for the clean-up hitter. Your #3 hitter will most likely be your DH and is there for their sure bat.
Analogy: Your next couple of questions need to be good enough to assess what the candidate is bringing to the table and give the candidate a chance to get a feel of the interview. Chances are the candidate wants to have the bases loaded when they hit the ball out of the park.
Rule: Big league ball clubs spend big league money on their #4 hitter. Batting clean-up is the ultimate spot in the lineup. Coming up with the bases loaded is where the #4 hitter earns their keep.
Analogy: Put your most valuable, big money question near the middle of your lineup. That's question varies depending on the position and audience but it's the question that's the cornerstone of what is valued for the position sought. This is also when the candidate is most likely at their peak performance and in the zone and ready to unleash the big stick. Also, if they loaded the bases with previous answers they can score a grand slam with the interview committee.
Rule: The game is not won after the cleanup hitter clears the bases. Games are won and lost with strong hitting in the five to eight slot (second cleanup). The #5 hitter needs to have some of the qualities of the #4 in case the cleanup hitter misses the mark, but has to be versatile enough to get on base when needed. The #6-#8 batters all bring unique characteristics and are slotted in the batting lineup most likely for what they bring to the field defensively.
Analogy: Your latter questions need to be solid enough to assess your candidates experiences and skills. Remember that as the interview wears on the committee begins to tune out, whether they want to or not, the candidate, so questions later in the interview need to give the chance for the candidate to shine while still assess what the candidate offers.
Rule: The last batter should not be considered your least effective batter. They need to be crafty enough to get on base however they can. Remember who is up to bat next, it's your surefire lead-off hitter. Having your #9 on base sets up a good chance for your leadoff to move them right around in scoring position and it starts all over again.
Analogy: Your last question needs to be something that allows the candidate to end on the strong note as well as give the committee the chance to be able to connect all the dots from the last question all the way back around to the leadoff question.
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