First Key Employee

Here are some key interview questions you could consider asking your next candidate which should help you find a qualified and dependable hire:

1. Work Ethic and Output:
   * “Can you walk me through a typical workday on your last job site?”
   * “How do you prioritize tasks when working on a remodel with multiple moving parts?”
   * “What’s the biggest job you’ve completed solo or led, and how did it go?”
   Why it matters: These questions gauge initiative, independence, and how much real production they’ve personally delivered—not just team participation.
   
   
2. Skill Level and Versatility:
   * “Which trades are you most confident in? Which ones do you prefer to avoid?”
   * “What tools or equipment are you most comfortable operating?”
   * “Can you read blueprints or follow design specifications?”
   Why it matters: You want to understand their actual capabilities—beyond what’s on paper.
   
   
3. Problem-Solving and Accountability:
   * “Tell me about a time something went wrong on a job. What did you do?”
   * “Have you ever made a mistake at work? How did you handle it?”
   * “How do you stay productive when you hit a delay (e.g., waiting on supplies or other trades)?”
   Why it matters: Problem-solvers save money. Finger-pointers cost money.
   
   
4. Cultural Fit (work culture) and Communication:
   * “How do you like to receive feedback from a supervisor?”
   * “Do you prefer working solo, with a partner, or on a full crew?”
   * “Have you ever clashed with a foreman or project manager? What happened?”
   Why it matters: A skilled person with a bad attitude still hurts your bottom line.
   
   
5. Reliability and Professionalism:
   * “What’s your attendance record like? Have you ever had to leave a job early or been let go?”
   * “Are you comfortable starting work at [your company’s typical start time]?”
   * “What’s your mode of transportation to job sites?”
   Why it matters: Dependability is as important as skill in this trade.

• BONUS TIP: Use a working interview
  Even with good questions, some candidates only reveal their true performance on the job. Consider:
  * A paid trial day or week, with clear expectations and tasks.
  * A small test project (e.g., installing trim, demoing a wall) to evaluate skill hands-on.

Hope this helps, best of luck with your future hires!

What makes this new hire expensive and not meet your production needs? These are importantly questions to answer before receiving help with a new hire. If the symptoms are only being treated and not the problem, it may happen again.

Hi Baylor. If you're company is small, say less than 10 employees, I find it's much more important who the person is, than what they are going to be doing for your company. When we go through the hiring process, our interviews are much more of a conversation getting to know that person, than AI generated questions. Don't get me wrong,  I use a few of those questions. "Where do you see yourself in five years?" Etc. Once we've narrowed the field down by looking at resumes, we are fairly certain the person has the skills forn the role. More importantly however,  I have to recognize that in a small business,  each of my employees has an outsized impact on the team as a whole. I might find an employee who fits the bill perfectly on paper, but has a personality that will conflict with my own, or those of my other employees. They simply won't fit.  Just my .02

Next time, thoroughly evaluate their résumé and if you acquired the employed through indeed or one of those websites like LinkedIn thoroughly review their profile instead of hiring them directly on a full-time basis, why not agree to a two day trial or three day trial and see how they perform and have a checklist of metrics measurements you’d like to see them meet during the trial period . 

I always like to ask what type of experience they have a lot of people will say they have  experience but it's mostly just watching experience and not hands on this makes a difference as I have had people show up and waste a lot of materials 

I agree that personality is the most important factor. Since we work in teams, it's essential that each person fits in with their attitude and character. We always invite candidates for a paid trial day. After that, we have a second interview, and that's when the tough decision needs to be made. It's definitely worth it in our industry (residential cleaning).

Cody Sanchez had a great podcast with Tim Kennedy about hiring employees and how to get a feel for them. Tim made some valid points about hiring the right person. Here is a link to the episode. 

https://youtu.be/4iYJciD8lKg?si=1_Td9g60blfiWmHU

I would ensure they have work in a similar field and have good references 

1. Questions About Skills and Experience

• Can you walk me through your resume and highlight your most relevant experiences for this role? This provides insight into how they view their own qualifications.
• Have you handled any projects similar to what this role entails? This helps gauge their familiarity with tasks they may encounter.
• What tools, software, or methodologies are you skilled in that relate to this position? Expertise in relevant areas demonstrates technical proficiency.

2. Questions About Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking

• Can you describe a challenging situation at work and how you resolved it? This showcases their problem-solving capabilities.
• How do you prioritize tasks when faced with tight deadlines? This assesses their organizational skills and ability to work under pressure.

3. Questions About Cultural Fit

• What aspects of our company culture resonate most with you, and why? This helps identify alignment between their values and your organizational mission.
• Can you share an example of how you’ve collaborated successfully within a team? Effective teamwork is often critical in most roles.

4. Questions About Growth and Ambition

• Where do you see yourself professionally in five years? This reveals their aspirations and long-term compatibility with the company.
• What skills are you looking to develop while working in this role? Candidates with a growth mindset are likely to evolve and contribute more actively.

5. Questions About Adaptability

• How have you adapted to organizational changes in the past? Adaptability is an essential quality in today’s evolving workplaces.
• Tell me about a time when you had to learn something quickly to perform a task successfully. This evaluates their ability to take on new challenges.

6. Questions About Passion and Motivation

• What excites you most about this role and our company? Understanding their enthusiasm for the position can indicate their level of engagement.
• What achievement in your career are you most proud of? This provides a glimpse into their personal values and professional passions.

A really great approach is to get references. Most good prospects will have some that have known and seen their work through the years.