Read: Hiring a New Employee

When you hear a phrase expressed differently from the way you would say it, consider writing it down and practicing it.

Hiring a new employee is a lot of work. Some people answer interview questions well, but they are not very good employees. Some people do not answer interview questions well, but they would be good employees and they have good qualities. How can you make sure to hire the best person for the job, not just the person who is best at answering interview questions?

Here are two important things to consider when you are hiring a new employee: First, be very clear about what you want the person to do in the job. Second, think of ways the job applicants can demonstrate the skills they have.

Here are some ideas to help you:

Give them a problem to solve. Think of a problem that your employees might have to solve. Ask job applicants to describe how they would solve that problem. Evaluate their problem-solving skills.

Give them a project to complete. Before the interview, ask the candidates to complete a project. The project should be something they might have to do in their job. This is a great way to see how they would approach projects on the job.

Take them out of the “interview zone.” Consider taking job applicants to lunch as part of the interview. Observe how they treat the restaurant employees and staff. Pay attention to how they interact with you in a casual situation.

Ask them to share something they are passionate about. Invite job applicants to talk about something they are passionate about. Let them talk. Listen carefully. They may share many different things that will help you understand their perspective better.

Get feedback from people they meet outside the interview. Think of ways other people at the company can interact with job applicants. Ask someone to take the applicant on a tour of the office. Ask the secretary or receptionist about their interaction with the applicant. Discover how the candidate treated other people at the company.

Adapted from Recruiterbox, “How to Hire the Best Candidate (Not Just the Best Interviewer)”