Confidence Survey ResultsInc. 500|5000 2010

 | Inc. magazine
Aug 24, 2010

What's Your Hiring Style?

Are you as astute as an Inc. 5000 entrepreneur when it comes to hiring? Take this quiz to find out.

 

Despite the down economy, most of the CEOs on the Inc. 500|5000 list have continued to hire new employees. With a widening pool of job candidates, however, the vetting process becomes even more critical. This year's honorees have plenty of opinions on how to determine the best person for any given job. Some swear by Topgrading, a series of best practices spawned by a best-selling book that covers recruiting, hiring, coaching, promoting, and managing high performers. Other CEOs place just as much emphasis on finding a good cultural fit as they do in hiring for technical skills. No single process will work for everyone, and every approach has its advantages and pitfalls. How does your hiring philosophy stack up? Take this quiz to find out.

1. When do you look to make a new hire?

a.    Whenever I see a top talent is ripe for picking

b.    When I anticipate a substantial increase in demand

c.    Only after we've maxed out on our workload

2. What type of people do you prefer to hire?

a.    Eager young talents who are quick to learn

b.    Industry veterans who can take us to the next level

c.    People from diverse backgrounds who bring relevant skills

3. You find your best employees through:

a.    Friends and employees

b.    Professional contacts

c.    Headhunters and hiring firms

4. How much are you involved in the hiring process?

a.    I interview everyone from the receptionist to the COO.

b.    I'm involved mostly with hires at the managerial and executive levels.

c.    I leave most of the process to my managers, who I know will make good decisions.

5. What helps you most in determining whether someone is right for the job?

a.    We have candidates complete sample tasks that would be expected of them.

b.    We involve many members of the team to make sure whoever we hire will fit in.

c.    We look for recommendations from past bosses and co-workers.

6. Which question would you be most likely to ask to gauge someone's personality?

a.    "What is the biggest challenge you've ever faced?"

b.    "What makes you quirky?"

c.    "If you didn't need to work, what would you do?"

7. What is the biggest gaffe a job candidate can make?

a.    Not doing enough research on our company

b.    Asking about salary too early

c.    Being indiscreet about other job offers

8. How do you attract people to your company?

a.    We offer stock options and bonuses.

b.    We emphasize our unique culture.

c.    We give them a fast-track career path.

9. How do you help new hires adjust to their new position?

a.    We give them assignments before they arrive.

b.    We pair them with mentors who can show them the ropes.

c.    We expect them to be able to get up to speed on their own.

10. You formally initiate new employees into the fold by:

a.    Running a race at an obstacle course

b.    Sponsoring a community service project

c.    Putting on a talent show


April Joyner is a reporter for Inc. magazine. She regularly covers sales and marketing topics and writes on start-ups for Inc.’s Elevator Pitch column. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. @aprjoy