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Continued from page 47 couldn't find a manager and had to make a decision on your own. 45. What would you do if a customer asks for a product we don't carry on our shelves? 46. Take a look at this product. (Choose an item from the store.) If I were a customer, what would you say to me about this product? 47. Who are your role models? Why? 48. Tell me about a time when you made the place where you worked better? 49. How have you saved a previous employer money? In other words, how did you reduce costs at a former place of work? 50. What questions do you have for me? These questions are designed to garner as much information about a candidate as possible. Too many interviewers ask "yes/no" questions, which really doesn't give any insight into the applicant's mind-set. Saying, "So, I see you majored in marketing in college, correct?" or "You have three years of experience in retail, correct?" doesn't give you any useable information. Each question can be answered simply with "yes" or "no." Asking open-ended questions allows the candidate to reveal more about himself, which tells you whether or not he is a good fit for the team. The idea of "fit" has become more of an attribute than in previous years. Retail managers have discovered that jobs and tasks can be taught, but personality cannot. So, those respon50 January 2014 | beautystorebusiness.com sible for hiring new employees are looking for people who have positive energy, learn quickly, have a desire to provide the best customer service possible, and want to contribute to a solid team. Learning to operate the point-of-sale system or to stock shelves can easily be imparted to these superstars. In other words, just because a candidate has four years of retail experience doesn't mean that she will be a better hire than someone who has no experience in retail but has the qualities that you're looking for in a new team associate. As you put together your hiring plan, anticipate interviewing about five to eight candidates for every one you want to hire. This will keep you from taking the "warm body" approach where you simply settle on anyone who shows a pulse! This means you should be using every recruiting strategy you can such as "Help Wanted" signs in the windows, socialmedia postings, college job-recruitment centers, job fairs and so forth. This will generate an applicant pool that will assist you in finding stellar candidates. The bottom line is that your strongest hires will be the ones you have diligently recruited and carefully interviewed. Your ultimate interviewing strategy should be as important as your cost-cutting efforts or your marketing plans. ■ Dr. Steven Austin Stovall is professor of management at Wilmington College in Wilmington, OH. He can be reached at steven _ stovall@wilmington.edu. thinkstockphotos.com 44. Tell me about a time when you