During the past few years, interviewing has become a dying art form. Just 18 months ago when friends told me they were changing jobs, they were interviewing to discuss salary, commission, stock options, and all the rest. It seemed as though companies were just looking for warm bodies, so interviewing was just a brief walk in the park. Now with the economy completely reversed, how sharp are you as a manager at seeing through the fluff and hype of candidates?

It is a scary time to be interviewing for a job and it is a scary time to be interviewing potential candidates for your organization. When it gets down to looking for great candidates, what do managers do to determine the cream of the crop? Most managers follow pre-determined guidelines of questioning that their human resources or managers ask them to follow. These are good methods, but do they really give you an inside look about how the candidate will perform day-to-day? A neighbor of mine, currently looking for a job, was asked by a prospective company to fill out a behavior questionnaire. He wanted to know if he should respond the way the company expected or the way he really is. Questionable behavior happens more often than not. Job candidates may not show their true face.

There are things you can do to find out if the candidate is a self-starter, is persistent, is organized, is polite, has good manners, can ask good questions, and closes? Following are some time-tested strategies that sales managers use to tap a candidate's resourcefulness.

Self-Starter

What time does she get to work at her current job? Why? How late does she stay? If the job pays a base salary, how concerned is she about base pay versus commission? The stronger the concerns about base pay, the less likely she is motivated to sell.

Persistence

Does the candidate follow-up in a timely fashion? Ask the prospective employee to call you at a given time. If possible, set the time when you know you will be in the middle of something. Managers look for persistency through resourcefulness. Do not confuse persistency with desperation. If a candidate is calling regularly, this might be a talent to harness. If the job is worth having, it is worth working for.

Manners

Take the candidate to lunch. This is a great way to see a few different things. How does he handle himself with clients? Is there rude, abrasive or aggressive behavior? When ordering does he order the highest price items on the menu. If so, you might have a potential expense problem. Lunch or dinner is a great way to see social graces. You do not want a slob representing your team.

Organization

If you are going out to lunch, be spontaneous. Ask to ride in her car. This might let you see how organized and clean she is. If you can not get in her car, show an interest in seeing it. The car might speak volumes about her personal habits. Do not judge the car; judge the way it is kept. This is even more important if the client will have a company car and be taking clients in it.

Asking Questions

When interviewing your candidate, use some acronyms in describing the business. Use some false acronyms. See if he asks for clarification of acronyms and vague statements. If he doesn't clarify the job, how can he clarify the needs of customers? Sales people should question the unknown. Does this candidate have the talent to question?

Follow-up and Closing

How well is your candidate asking for the next step in the interviewing process? Does she follow up on interviews with phone calls, thank you notes, e-mails, etc.? Does she ask who else is in the decision making process and, most importantly, does she ask for the job? If she is not pushing the process forward, then you can bet she will not push your business forward.

Hiring the right candidate is a big responsibility. Hiring the best candidate is a big responsibility. It is a part of your job. You owe it to your company, the shareholders, yourself, and the candidate to pick the right person for the job. Jack Welch, CEO of General Electric, said he spends 80% of his time grooming his people and 20% of his time doing paperwork. People are a big investment for your company. Cut through the interviewing fluff by being thorough and creative.