Kennedy's Column

Pay Now or Pay Later

It's your choice. Take the time now to prepare for a good interview, or go through at least 10 times the work later to manage and perhaps even terminate a wrong hire.

By defining job requirements, corporate culture, and the qualities a candidate needs to succeed in a position, you focus on what is most important in the selection process. Studying the resumé and picking key topics to cover ensures that you begin with a basic knowledge of the candidate. In formulating questions which ask for examples of actual behavior, you are better able to predict future performance.

A little preparation before the interview can save you and your organization a lot of effort after the interview. And you get the added bonus of increasing the quality of your workforce.