Put your Company Culture Front and Center in the Interview

Put your Company Culture Front and Center in the bewerbungsgesprchPut your Company Culture Front and Center in the InterviewPut your Company Culture Front and Center in the Interview MatusonYour company brand may not be as strong as Google, but that doesnt mean you cant compete with the big guys for talent.Put your company culture and brand front and center when you conduct an interview with top talent and youll have a better chance of hiring them.Weave your Brand into the InterviewAs I talk about in thisemployment brand webinar, your company brand is your companys personality. Its what differentiates you from everyone else. To best leverage it, you must recognize what makes your organization unique the key is to then incorporate it into your hiring process and weave it into interview questions.For example, suppose you own a small catering company. Food is ingrained in the culture of this type of geschftsleben most likely you are seeking to hire people who are creative and passionat e about food.Instead of posing stale interviewing questions such as How would you describe your former boss, engage the candidate with interview questions that allow your company brand to shine.Ask candidates interview questions such as Think of a dish that best describes your most recent boss. Framing your question this way will allow you to ascertain how creative the candidate can be. Youll quickly get a sense of how this person will fit into your organizational culture. At the same time, candidates will realize your company is anything but ordinary.Interviewing for ConsistencyConsistency is also an important job skill for businesses that heavily rely on accuracy. To test for this in the interview, ask candidates how they would respond to specific work scenarios that relate to your business and pay close attention to their response.For example, if you andrang an auto shop, ask the applicant to walk you through the steps he would take when changing car brakes. Those that rush throu gh the process and leave out important details are clearly not the right people for your business. Applicants that provide the correct steps and take pride in their answers are the ones that should be given further consideration.To determine how well candidates takes direction, ask applicants to describe a time when they thought they were right, yet were required to follow company protocol even though they didnt agree with it. How did they handle this situation?If your company culture is one that encourages people to speak up, then share this with candidates. If not, then explain why closely following directions is vital in your business.Put Company Perks Up FrontIn todays competitive hiring environment, candidates are expecting to hear about company perks that come with the job. Your small business may not have room for a large foosball table, but that doesnt mean your team doesnt like to have fun.Make a list of the many benefits of working for your small company, such as free tick ets to local sporting events include intangible items such as working side by side with the boss and having autonomy to do your job. When conducting an interview, be sure to highlight those items on your list.During the job interview, ask candidates what type of perks matter most to them. Then pull from your list and talk about those programs that would be most appealing to the candidate.Perhaps the candidate is interested in fitness. Respond by discussing your philosophy on wellness at work and how that ties into your perks. If socializing is tops on this candidates list, then discuss group activities that are parte of the social scene at work.Highlight your Workplace FlexibilityWorking 9-5 used to be appealing to the masses not so much anymore. How work gets done and how its scheduled can distinguish your companys culture from competitors.If your small business culture offers workplace flexibility, then highlight this when interviewing candidates. You can do so by asking candidate s when they are most productive. This will allow you to promote your flexible work hours. Youll also be able to determine if their internal clock matches your companys time clock.For instance, I know one small business owner who hires workers to pull long shifts during his busy season. When conducting interviews, he always mentions the hours that everyone is required to work. He also weaves in stories regarding his employees who are able to pursue their passion during off-peak times.One such employee goes on tour with his band during the slow months and returns to resume his duties during this business owners peak business cycle. This savvy business owner is able to recruit large company employees because hes using his companys size and small business culture as an advantage.Tout a Great WorkplaceThe office environment certainly matters when it comes to attracting candidates. This is usually where large businesses have the advantage given their large budget. This is not usually the case for small business owners. Dont be discouraged, however. Astute candidates will recognize that beauty is only skin deep.Work with what youve got. One small business owner gave his team a small budget to design their common workspace. The results were a direct reflection of the company brand. The business owner conducts job interviews in this space he always mentions to candidates that this type of collaboration is part of the companys culture.This is a smart business move. If a candidate is drawn to an environment that is keen on collaboration, theyll be attracted to this business. If not, then this business owner has saved himself from all the ramifications that occur when you hire someone who is not the right fit for your business.Leveraging the many benefits of being a small business employer will enable you to capture the hearts and minds of candidates in a job market where big isnt necessarily better.Heres to your hiring successAuthor BioRoberta Chinsky Matuson, president of Matuson Consulting is author of the best-selling books Talent Magnetism How to Build a Workplace That Attracts and Keep the Best and Suddenly in Charge. Her company helps leaders in the Fortune 500 as well as small and medium-size businesses achieve dramatic growth and market leadership through the maximization of talent. She is frequently quoted in business publications and is a top-ranking blogger for Fast Company and Forbes.