Everyone I speak to this summer is shorthanded. Stores are having to shorten hours or close for an entire day during the week. Manufacturers, including us, are slower with their turn around times from order to shipment. The shipping companies are taking longer and are irregularly delivering. No one seems to have an answer as to why the employees who, legitimately had to stop working in March haven’t come back. But, they haven’t. Let’s explore some things to keep in mind during this stressful time when looking for new help.

The first thing to keep in mind is to not be so desperate that anyone who walks in the door looks like the prince coming to rescue the store. You have figured it out so far, you can continue to figure it out if the right candidate doesn’t show up.

Before the first interview, make sure the job description is current. Often, a job description needs to be changed from one employee’s position ending and a new one starting. The responsibilities may have changed, the hours, the dress code, the compensation all should be checked and brought up to date. You don’t want to be interviewing and saying something different than what is on the printed description. You want to be as clear as a bell when talking to a prospective employee.

Don’t ask the same old questions that have been being asked for 30 years. According to Amy Castro, MA, CSP, "You’ll want to assess the three C's: Capability, Commitment, and Culture Fit. Capability is all about the person's ability to do the job. Commitment is how dedicated the person is to the position; how much he or she believes in the mission of the organization, work ethics, values, etc. Culture Fit is whether the applicant will mesh well with your existing team, your mission, clientele, and community. In all my years of consulting, most of the clients I've worked with who have regretted a hire don’t regret it because of the person’s capability; it’s the other two C’s that cause the most trouble, so don’t forget to ask questions about those too.”

Always ask open ended questions. According to jdsupra.com, "During job interviews, the questions should almost always be open-ended, which means that the questions should begin with the words what, where, when, why and how." Otherwise you will get the answers the applicant thinks you want to hear rather than what they really think.

Have the applicant be interviewed by more than yourself, and hopefully at different times. If you interview in a panel situation you lose the opportunity to get an unbiased and different impression from the other interviewers.

Create a scoring system for each question. Score as you interview. You will have a numerical history of the experience. Have everyone who is interviewing do the same and compare afterwards. It gives you more than simply a gut reaction.

Tuning up your interview techniques should make your hiring process more efficient, less stressful for all involved and more successful at bringing the right new employee into your work family.