Beware of the "F" Word
By: Tim Augustine
If a position in your firm cannot be "forgettable" then be sure to fill it with a candidate who not only has the technical skills, but also the personality and cultural fit that will leave a great first impression with anyone he or she meets.
You have all heard the quote, "You never get a second chance to make a positive first impression." Do you remember the last person you interviewed? What do you remember about them? What position do you have in your firm that can't be "Forgettable"?
The "F" factor is the forgettable factor when sourcing, screening and interviewing new candidates. Throughout my professional career, I have interviewed and hired thousands of candidates, and I always focus my attention on the candidate's personality and cultural fit. While I understand that there are technical competencies that are necessary for a specific position, I believe that personality and cultural fit are the soft traits that determine the success of an individual within any firm.
For many roles within your organization, the "F" factor may not apply. However, for those roles that require a good first impression and the need to be remembered such as a sales person, a new leader or a customer service representative, the "F" factor should be on your list of competencies a candidate must possess.
I am sure most of you have detailed position descriptions that outline the technical competencies and personality traits of a successful candidate. My suggestion is to teach all of your recruiters and interviewers to look for the unique traits that differentiate a candidate. Ask your recruiters, "Why is this person unique for the position?"
I also assume that most of you also have detailed interview questions that you ask each candidate. Below you will find the specific traits and sample questions that we ask each sales candidate to determine whether they possess the "F" factor. These are the top 10 traits that we feel encompass a successful salesperson.
- Creativity
Q: "What are some of the most creative things you have ever done?"
In other words, will this candidate think creatively as they approach the sales process?
- Passion / Enthusiasm
Q: "What are you passionate about?"
Given the right situation, would this candidate passionately approach work?
- Commitment
Q: "Describe commitment and tell me about something you are committed to."
Is this candidate dedicated, loyal and visibly engaged in their commitment?
- Attitude
Q: "Tell me about your greatest sales accomplishment."
Does this person celebrate success and focus on accomplishment?
- Communication skills
Q: "What was the best presentation you have ever delivered?"
What are the person's communication skills? Was the presentation clear, thoughtful and presented in a logical format? How would a client describe his/her presentation skills?
- Flexibility
Q: "Tell me about a time when you were forced to miss a deadline."
What was the candidate's reaction? Did he/she lose focus? Did he/she accomplish the task? How would this candidate work in your changing environment?
- Integrity
Q: "Give me an example of a client that trusted you and why?"
Would you trust this candidate?
- Ability to influence others
Q: "Persuade me to do something."
Would you buy from this candidate?
- Initiative
Q: "Give me an example of something you started from scratch."
What drives this person? Was the example his/her idea?
- Listening skills
Q: "Describe an incident when you listened attentively in order to respond to a deadline."
Did the candidate ask a lot of questions? Did he/she listen to your answers or prepare for the next question you were planning to ask?
These are just a sample of the questions we ask. There are many questions you could ask that would provide you with a good understanding of the candidate's ability. The key to making a successful hire is your ability to determine the candidate's unforgettable factors. For a sales position, you need that person to make an impression so that the prospect or client will not forget them. As part of our corporate university, we teach managers and leaders how to evaluate for the "F" factor. At Atwell-Hicks, we often have multiple interviewers meet with each candidate. Following the interview, we have a group evaluation to assess the candidates fit for the position. We ask the interviewers the following questions:
- What was your first impression of the candidate?
- Describe something unique about the candidate?
- What would a client remember about this candidate if he/she were our sales person?
- Tell me something that is not on the candidate's resume.
- Describe the candidate.
The last question, describe the candidate, often goes in multiple directions, such as first impression based on his/her professional attire, handshake, the candidate's eye contact and confidence during the interview. All of these factors also play a critical role in determining whether the candidate possesses the "F" factor.
Your goal as a hiring manager should be to identify those positions that require an unforgettable person, develop questions that target the personality and cultural fit of a candidate and finally, develop a process to evaluate each candidate following each interview. Doing this will ensure you don't hire someone who is "forgettable" for a position that clearly requires that he/she leaves a lasting, positive impression with employees and customers.
