{"id":73299,"date":"2022-07-13T10:12:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-13T14:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=73299"},"modified":"2022-07-27T15:42:06","modified_gmt":"2022-07-27T19:42:06","slug":"how-to-evaluate-interview-candidates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-evaluate-interview-candidates\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Evaluate Interview Candidates: The 5 Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is the best way to evaluate interview candidates? How should you decide which candidate to select?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be hard to decide who to hire if every candidate is qualified. Julie Zhuo’s advice in The Making of a Manager<\/em> can make it easier to make this decision through careful evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more to learn how to evaluate interview candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Five Steps to Evaluate and Select Candidates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After you\u2019ve interviewed candidates, how do you decide who to hire? Zhuo suggests you take these steps on how to evaluate interview candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #1: Review work they\u2019ve done in the past<\/strong>. Evaluate a few projects they\u2019ve completed that are similar to the work they\u2019ll be expected to do at your company. According to Zhuo, this will give you a clear sense of their skills and ability to problem solve. It\u2019ll also help you forecast how they\u2019ll perform in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #2: Ask trusted peers for input<\/strong>. Zhuo says you likely won\u2019t get useful input from references a candidate furnishes. Instead, seek input from colleagues and peers in your professional network who\u2019ll give you an honest assessment of candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #3: Go with candidates who excite you<\/strong>. Even if a candidate has the needed skills and qualities, don\u2019t choose them just because they could<\/em> fit. Zhuo says to always give preference to candidates who spark enthusiasm in at least one interviewer. Candidates are more likely to add high value to your team when they stand out as unique. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #4: Prioritize diverse candidates<\/strong>. Hire candidates who have varied work and life experiences and who represent diverse races, genders, cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientations. Zhuo says diverse teams generate more creative ideas, solve problems more effectively, and produce superior outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #5: Choose people who have the potential to contribute beyond their designated role<\/strong>. Prepare for future growth by hiring candidates who are equipped to deliver more than you need immediately. For example, even if a frontline sales role doesn\u2019t include supervisory responsibilities now<\/em>, Zhuo says it\u2019s wise to give an edge to candidates who have relevant sales experience and<\/em> supervising experience. They\u2019ll be able to step into bigger roles as your team grows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros and Cons of Hiring Overqualified Candidates<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although Zhuo highlights one significant benefit to hiring a candidate whose qualifications exceed job requirements, she doesn\u2019t elaborate on the many other advantages\u2014or, the many drawbacks\u2014of this approach. Here are some key pros and cons based on experts\u2019 insights:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n