15 Performance Evaluation Tips & Interview Questions
December 10, 2005
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If not number one, this issue certainly makes the Top 10 list for Things I was not prepared for when I started my business.
Due to the significant regional differences in employment law, I will not attempt to cover that area. Contact local, state or federal governments for the legal view on hiring an employee. I would also suggest contacting an attorney to understand your rights and obligations as an employer.
The key to happy customers is employing happy, motivated and caring employees. In my opinion it starts in the recruiting and performance process. Even if you do a good job with the recruiting, the performance review is what will keep you and the employee on track.
Performance Reviews
It is an opportunity to encourage, motivate and, if necessary, discipline your staff. Performance reviews are vital to building trust, setting expectations and correcting potential problems. So how can you do an independent appraisal of your employees performance? Truth is, you probably cannot. On some level, we all have a bias on important issues. Here are some tips for evaluating an employee’s performance.
15 Performance Evaluation Tips & Interview Questions
I also use these questions when interviewing applicants by changing to q first person context.
- Ability to supervise: how would you rate the employees ability to organize, plan and lead subordinates?
- Customer Service: does this employee have a warm and sociable attitude towards customers?
- Personal Appearance: what impression does your employee’s personal appearance make?
- Personality Characteristics: how would you rate their ability to get along with others?
- Growth Potential: does this person have the ability to teach and lead others? Are they able to learn and adapt quickly?
- Safety & Office Appearance: does this person demonstrate an ability to follow the rules? How well do they look after the equipment or office space they are provided?
- Attendance: does this person show up for work, or are they routinely absent without permission?
- Stability, Personality: how stable is this person? How do they deal with pressure? How confident do they appear? How would they describe their predominant mood?
- Attitude: how willing is this person to carry out instructions and cooperate with you and fellow employees? Are they a team player? Do you observe passive resistance or blatant argumentative tendencies?
- Ability to change: is this person able to adapt to changing conditions and learn quickly?
- Initiative: to what degree does this employee think constructively and take appropriate action? How much supervision does this person require? Are they fair and balanced in decision making?
- Dependability: how much does this person work conscientiously and in line with instructions? How much do you have to check and verify their work?
- Quantity of work: is there a satisfactory amount of output? Do they over promise or under deliver? Are they slow or do they work hard and turn out more work than required?
- Job Knowledge: to what level do they understand all phases of work? Do they excel at the job or do they lack knowledge in the job or certain areas?
- Quality of work: is there a consistent level of performance in meeting or exceeding quality standards?
Interviewing References
You can use the above list to screen potential employees, as well. Simply pose questions to the employee and the references they have provided. In the interview I like to ask the applicant for at least one name and contact number from each of the following acquaintances:
- family member: are there any potential family issues that could inhibit this persons performance? Is this person able to articulate past employment history?
- past employer: which of the areas in the above list does the past employer feel this person struggled with? What were this person’s good traits?
- friend: again I am looking for someone who can articulate this person’s history, strengths and weaknesses.
I have found posing these questions to applicant’s references uncovers amazingly honest answers. I have found the key is to frame the conversation with the reference by saying:
“I know since you are a friend/relative/past employer of __(applicant name)__ and I was given your name as a reference. Before we get started, let me tell you what I am looking for. Because you are on their reference list I am sure you will have nothing but friendly and nice things to say about the person. However, I would really appreciate your help in understanding __(applicant name)__ strengths, areas you would like to see them improve, and a little about their background that I might not know about. How does that sound?”
This usually evokes a chuckle or a giggle and is a good ice breaker too. I ask my questions following the above format. Right at the end of my questions and once they are finished talking, I close the conversation and then pull a Columbo on them.
“Oh, would you mind, I have one more question?”
“Is there anything you think I should know about __(applicant name)__ that I have not asked, but should know?”
You might be surprised what I have found out by asking that question. Past employers really open up with that question. So if there is a less than ideal past work history it usually will come out with that question. The key is to ask open-ended questions and keep asking them until you get the information you need. 
Q. Need the number of a business coach that “get’s it?”
Article Series - Hiring Great Employees
- Recruiting & Interview Techniques
- The Secret To Hiring Sales People!
- 15 Performance Evaluation Tips & Interview Questions
- Avoid Bad Hiring Decisions
- How Incentives Become the Lightning Bolt to Performance
- Keeping your top employees – create a captivating corporate culture!
- Generational Values Shift Spells Workplace Change
- Gen Y Asking: Why Bother with Corporate America?
- Majority of Small Businesses Recruiting Older More Experienced Workers
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