Are you tasked at your organization with finding top-quality candidates for a variety of positions? It may not seem that long ago that you were the interviewee going through the job search process. Now, at the other side of the table, you may think you’re on easy street. But the truth is interviewing candidates can be just as challenging as being interviewed. In the multifamily and commercial real estate market, permanent and temporary staffing is needed in many capacities – such as maintenance technicians, leasing agents, community managers, and groundskeepers. It’s crucial you become an effective interviewer, so the right candidates are chosen for the right jobs. The bottom line? No one size fits all!
Your interview style should change with each candidate who walks through the door. As you interview candidates for new positions, take note of these helpful questioning techniques:
Behavior-based questions
Known as the most common type of interview questions, behavior-based questions evaluate candidates for their past behavior to predict future performance. These types of questions generally ask for specific examples of times when skills were used. Though these questions are helpful for any candidate interview, they have the most value when interviewing candidates for jobs that require a significant degree of communication and customer service skills. Because a track record of positive behavior often determines employee success, be sure to incorporate at least three behavior-based questions in all your interviews.
Situational questions
Each position requires different responsibilities that often require a certain amount of adaptability. As you interview a leasing agent candidate, it’s critical to get a sense of their ability to handle unexpected situations both professionally and effectively. For example, a leasing agent will likely have to deal with a rude or disgruntled customer at some point. Along these lines, you may want to ask the candidate about how they’ve dealt with these types of situations in previous roles. If a candidate has never experienced a situation presented to them during an interview, they may not be the best fit for that job. Situational questions will give you a bigger picture of a candidate’s abilities that go beyond their hard skills, reflecting upon their soft skills and emotional intelligence.
Stress interviews
No job is completely stress-free, so why not put your candidates to the test a bit as you get to know them? A stress interview will give you an opportunity to make candidates respond to unusual questions, allowing you to see how well they can think on the spot. These types of questions are ideal for candidates who will be thrown into highly stressful situations on the job, such as demanding customer requests or unexpected maintenance issues. Putting these candidates in the hot seat, even if it’s just for a few questions, is one of the best ways to gauge how prepared they are for handling the stresses of the job at hand.
If you want to hire high-quality candidates, make sure your interviews are tailored for each position. Being strategic in this process will reap many rewards, including a more efficient hiring process and better employee retention.
In need of more top-notch candidates?
The Liberty Group’s team can connect you the best talent across the country with locations in major cities throughout the United States! Contact us for more information!