It’s September and the year’s busiest shopping days are just around the corner. Co-ops will want to hire early to give managers time to train new staff before the busiest days. Co+op U offers courses on hiring offer tips to ensure your newly hired staff can handle the holiday rush with warm customer interactions and exceptional customer service.
- Select the “right” interviewees. Before conducting interviews, it’s essential to know the job, its responsibilities and what you want in a candidate. Selecting interviewees is not about liking someone but looking at the facts provided to see if they meet the identified qualifications. Consider the work experience, identifiable skills and training the applicant has listed.
- Consider motivational fit. The goal is to hire someone who can do the work, enjoy it and stay with the co-op.
- Be consistent. All candidates should be treated equitably, given fair consideration for the position and judged on the same criteria.
- Ask behavioral questions. This type of question allows for an objective measure of past behaviors as a predictor of future results. Ask the candidate to provide specific examples of when they have demonstrated certain behaviors. For example: “Tell me about a time when a customer had a poor experience and how you made it better.”
- Assess the candidate’s social skills. Pay attention to an individual’s demeanor on the phone and in person. Someone who is sincerely personable and enjoys assisting customers will likely deliver excellent customer service.
For more help with the hiring process, check out the hiring series in Co+op U:
