You can learn a lot about someone from a first impression, but in hiring, it’s rarely enough. Every hiring manager has faced a similar nightmare scenario: you’re short-staffed, you rush an interview to fill the opening for the season, and 2 weeks later, you realize the new hire is about as suited for the job as a fish in a tree. It’s painful.
In the demanding agriculture industry, where every team member plays a crucial role, making a great hire isn’t just about a gut feeling or a quick chat. Yet, many hiring managers often treat interviews like speed dating, short and with basic questions.
At AgHires, we’ve seen the cost of a poor hiring decision, especially in roles where culture fit, adaptability, and initiative matter just as much as experience. Too many interviews rely on generic questions, which only scratch the surface and miss the deeper story behind a candidate’s background.
You can avoid these hiring missteps and find the perfect fit for your team by sharpening your interview skills. We have 3 tips to help you get interview-ready by asking better questions to make better hires. Plus, don’t miss our webinar “Hiring Isn’t Speed Dating: How to Go Beyond the Surface in Interviews” on July 30th at 1 pm EDT / 10 am PDT.
The simplest way to improve your interviews is to change from “What did you do?” to “How did you do it?” Behavior-based questions reveal how a candidate thinks, solves problems, and interacts with others, something a resume can’t tell you.
For example, instead of “Have you ever managed a team?” ask “Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict on your team. What happened, and what did you do?”
It’s a small shift that can make a big difference. It’s just one strategy we’ll be diving into during our free webinar, “Hiring Isn’t Speed Dating: How to Go Beyond the Surface in Interviews.” Register to watch the webinar, receive the recording, and access the free resources, including our favorite interview questions to ask.
Don’t forget, you are also giving a first impression. If you expect the candidate to be prepared for the interview, you should also take the time to prepare.
Start by creating a structured interview plan. Think about the skills, traits, and experience you’re looking for, and create questions that align with those criteria. A little preparation goes a long way in keeping interviews focused and effective.
The biggest mistake hiring managers make, not only in agriculture but in every industry, is not reading the resume ahead of time. Make a list of questions specific to the candidate's background and experience. This will also help you to dig deeper with follow-up questions in the interview.
Being prepared for an interview doesn’t have to take a long time. Just taking a few extra minutes before the interview to review the resume and write down some custom questions will make a world of difference.
Rushed, generic interviews can lead to missed red flags. Improving your interview questions, preparing ahead of time, and digging deeper with follow-up questions will make a big difference in your interview process. If you’re ready to get some actionable tips and elevate your hiring process, join AgHires Owner Lori Culler and Senior Recruiter Haidee Larson for a free webinar, “Hiring Isn’t Speed Dating: How to Go Beyond the Surface in Interviews” on July 30th at 1 pm EDT / 10 am PDT, where they’ll go even deeper into these strategies. Don’t miss it, your next great hire could depend on it!