Question: What's your best advice for vetting a recent college grad (who may not have much formal work experience)?
Question: What's your best advice for vetting a recent college grad (who may not have much formal work experience)?
Learn How They Work
"A candidate might not have extensive work experience, but he or she might have behavioral tendencies. Give candidates hypothetical tasks and projects to see how they go about accomplishing them. They might not know all the right steps, but how they approach each task will tell you if they fit. We also teach our clients to clearly define their cultures to help candidates self-select."
@SusanLaMotte
Give Them a Problem to Solve
"Startups need problem-solvers, and problem-solvers don't always have tons of work experience. Give them a work scenario that seems like it is impossible to find a way around, and see how they answer it. It shows a lot about an individual's thought processes and how she would fit in your team. "
@benishshah
Hire Those Who Fit the Culture
"Experience is helpful, but hiring employees who fit your company’s culture is imperative. Having team members interview and interact with candidates to find out what type people they are is a great way to do this. It’s a lot easier to teach the job to someone who fits the culture than it is to teach the culture (regardless of talent) to someone who just doesn’t get it."
@NickFriedman1
Ask Open-Ended Questions
"By asking brief, open-ended questions, you allow the interviewee to display himself or herself in the best light possible. Or, candidates might make key mistakes in their answers that let you know they are not a good fit for your organization."
@moneycrashers
Look at Everything They've Done
"Graduates worth their salt who have limited work experience will pull together everything they participated in during college (internships, volunteering, clubs, courses, etc.). Even though these might not directly involve the job you need to fill, they should have the foundation skills necessary to do it right. Give them a chance to show how their experiences will impact the role."
@heatherhuhman
Assess Their Motivation and Technical Skills
"Dive into WHY an applicant is interested in your role. Where does he want to be in five years? How does he define himself professionally? You will quickly learn what motivates him, which will allow you to determine if the role is a fit. Then, of course, you'll want to assess his technical skills with detailed questions or by giving him an opportunity to showcase his talents."
@chuckcohn
Ask Them to Pitch You
"It's not a new way to interview for salespeople, but when people apply for a sales job with little experience, we always have them research our company and pitch us like a client. We look to see if they can make the jump to solving the emotional pain of our clients -- not just the obvious physical pain. That, combined with how well they prepared, speaks to their interest level in the job."
@SpiralStair
