Dave Ramsey says: Informal setting could help interview hiring process

Dear Dave,

I own a small business with two employees, and I have a bit of a hiring conundrum.

I’m looking at two candidates for a position, and on paper they’re evenly matched. I’ve interviewed each of them four times, and I’m still undecided.

I was hoping you had an idea for determining which is best for the job.

— Bryan

Dear Bryan,

As an entrepreneur, that’s a great problem to have.

I’m glad you understand the wisdom of interviewing potential hires more than once. Sometimes business owners hire a person after just one meeting. That’s a really bad idea.

Have you let your team members talk to them? Sometimes other people — especially those who might be someone’s co-worker — will pick up on things you missed during a formal interview.

You might also think about scheduling a meeting with each of the candidates off-site. People tend to be more at ease in an informal setting, like a restaurant or coffee shop, and this could lead you to discover new things.

Sometimes, a more relaxed setting allows you to see the whole person, and decide if you like who they really are. It can also lead someone to say things that might cause you to hire them — or not hire them.

Something we always do at my company is a final interview over dinner.

Spouses are invited to this meeting, and we encourage them to speak into the situation. I’m not talking about a big test, just conversation and a friendly, family atmosphere.

You can tell a lot about a person by how they talk to, and interact with, their spouse. And sometimes a spouse, if there is one, will catch things you missed during other interviews.

I’m impressed that you’re taking this seriously, and devoting some real time and energy to hiring.

Your thoughtfulness leads me to think you’ll make the right decision!

— Dave

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