Move Beyond Cliches One reason interviews often don't give you a true sense of the candidate is that the candidate will likely be more experienced in interviewing than the interviewer. A wealth of information on interviewing for prospective candidates is available in bookstores and online. You can find a list of questions typically asked in an interview and the "proper" responses to those questions. A question like "What do you think is your greatest weakness?" has the pat response of something like "I tend to work myself too hard" or "I am a perfectionist." By using a probing follow-up question like "Give me an example of a time when that trait became a problem," you can move the candidate beyond the cliche. For more information on SMART Hiring, see our article in the April 2003 issue of "Assisted Living Today" Magazine. > INTERVIEW TWICE OR PAY THE PRICE > RETAINER OR CONTINGENCY? "Interview Twice or Pay the Price" Whether you are a company looking to fill a vacancy, or a candidate exploring a new opportunity, it is crucial to interview at least twice before accepting or extending an offer. The first interview is much like a first date- everyone is on their best behavior. By the second meeting, both parties have gotten past the formalities and can focus on the "fit" rather than the skill sets. This allows both parties to explore their compatibility rather than trying to sell themselves or the position available. Whenever possible, arrange the second meeting for a different time of day and different day of the week than the first meeting. Some people are at their best in the morning rather than the afternoon, or vice versa. A facility or corporate office may be more hectic during certain times in the day and during different points in the week. Using this strategy will allow you to see the opportunity or the potential candidate as accurately as possible. "Retainer or Contingency?" Many executive search firms offer clients both Retained and Contingency arrangements. Under a retained structure, an engagement fee is due upon initiation of the search and the client is obligated to hire a candidate through the search firm. Under a contingency structure, no fees are due to the search firm until and unless a candidate is hired through their services. The decision to choose one structure over another hinges upon a variety of factors. As a rule of thumb, a retained relationship is preferable when extreme confidentiality is needed, when the hiring organization has no candidates or contacts of their own to explore, or when the process needs to be streamlined. In addition, the fee structure for retained search will often be lower than that of contingency search.