Interviewing and Selection: Spotting the Right Fit

Most Small Business Owners Wing It

Let's be honest: most small business owners walk into interviews with no plan, ask whatever comes to mind, and then hire based on gut feeling. Sometimes it works. More often, it doesn't, and you end up six months later wondering why you hired someone who can't do the job.

Structured interviewing isn't complicated. It just requires a little preparation.

Before the Interview

Define What You're Actually Looking For

Before you talk to a single candidate, write down 3-5 specific competencies the role requires. Not vague stuff like "good communication" -- real, measurable things like "can read blueprints and estimate materials" or "has managed a team of 5+ people."

These competencies become the scorecard you evaluate every candidate against.

Prepare Your Questions in Advance

Use the same core questions for every candidate interviewing for the same role. This isn't about being rigid -- it's about being fair and giving yourself a consistent basis for comparison.

Focus on behavioral and situational questions:

• Behavioral: "Tell me about a time you had to deal with an unhappy customer. What happened and what did you do?"
• Situational: "If you showed up to a job site and realized the materials order was wrong, what would you do?"

These questions reveal how someone actually works, not just how well they interview.

What You Cannot Ask

Federal and state anti-discrimination laws restrict what you can ask in an interview. The general rule: if it's not directly related to the person's ability to do the job, don't ask it.

Off-limits topics include:

• Age, date of birth
• Marital status, family plans, pregnancy
• Religion or religious practices
• National origin, citizenship status (you can ask if they're authorized to work in the U.S.)
• Disability or medical conditions
• Arrest record (in many states; conviction history rules vary)
• Salary history (in many states and cities)

When in doubt, ask yourself: "Does this question help me determine if this person can do this specific job?" If not, skip it.

During the Interview

Set the Tone

Small business interviews should feel like a conversation, not an interrogation. You're evaluating them, but they're also evaluating you. The best candidates have options, and they're deciding whether your company is worth their time.

Start with a brief overview of the company and the role. Then move into your prepared questions.

Listen More Than You Talk

A common mistake: the interviewer talks for 70% of the interview. Flip that ratio. You should be listening at least 70% of the time. Take notes. You'll forget the details if you're interviewing multiple candidates.

Use a Scoring System

For each competency you identified, rate every candidate on a scale of 1-5. This feels overly formal, but it prevents you from making decisions based on who was most charming rather than who was most qualified.

Red Flags to Watch For

• Badmouthing former employers: Everyone has had bad jobs, but someone who can't talk about past experiences without trashing people will do the same to you
• Vague answers to specific questions: If you ask for a concrete example and get a generic response, they probably don't have the experience they claim
• No questions for you: Candidates who don't ask about the role, the team, or the company aren't that interested
• Inconsistencies with their resume: Follow up on anything that doesn't line up

Green Flags Worth Noting

• They've researched your company
• They ask thoughtful questions about the work itself
• They can describe failures and what they learned
• They speak specifically, with numbers and outcomes

After the Interview

Check References

Actually call the references. Many employers skip this step and regret it. Ask specific questions: "What was it like to manage this person day to day?" and "Would you rehire them?" The second question tells you almost everything.

Make a Decision Based on Data

Go back to your scorecard. Compare candidates on the competencies you defined before the interviews started. The best candidate on paper should generally be the best candidate in practice -- unless a red flag emerged during the interview.

Move Fast

Good candidates don't stay on the market long. If you've found the right person, make the offer quickly. A delay of even a few days can cost you the hire.

The Biggest Hiring Mistake

The single biggest mistake small business owners make is hiring for personality over competence. A great attitude matters, but it doesn't replace the ability to do the actual work. Hire for skill first, culture fit second.