Q Resources are tight right now, but I still need to hire staff. More than ever, I need to ensure that I hire the right person from the start to avoid wasting time and effort training him.

How do I ensure that I suss out the true capabilities of candidates during interviews? Are there special techniques that I could adopt?

A You should employ a combination of behaviour-based interviews and skill-based interviews.

Assess a candidate's competency and personality profile against the type of role you have to fill. Some people just have a natural flair for a particular type of job.

For instance, a highly meticulous and detail-oriented person will make a better accountant than others.

An outgoing and friendly person will be a better fit for customer-focused roles such as sales, marketing and customer service.

Do invest in psychological profiling tools - there are many out there to choose from.

I know of firms that make candidates sit through skill-based/aptitude tests before proceeding with the interview process.

It is not a bad idea to put together a test or invest in appropriate off-the-shelf assessment tools that are relevant to your industry and/or job function.

Lastly, consider doing a reference check with the former direct supervisors of the candidates. Two to three of such references are sufficient.

Avoid accepting references who are friends or former peers of the candidates as these tend to be biased.

Kathleen Chew
Assistant vice-president
JCG Search International

Advice provided in this column is not meant as a substitute for comprehensive professional advice.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.