Ask Powerful Questions to Select Better Caregivers

Stephen Tweed | May 28, 2013 | Newsroom
It's pretty clear.  Past behavior is the best predictor of future performance.What people have done before gives you a good indication of what they will do in the future.When you are recruiting and selecting caregivers, office staff, or sales professionals, the behavioral interview is the critical piece of the selection process.  You've done our initial…

It’s pretty clear.  Past behavior is the best predictor of future performance.

What people have done before gives you a good indication of what they will do in the future.

When you are recruiting and selecting caregivers, office staff, or sales professionals, the behavioral interview is the critical piece of the selection process.  You’ve done our initial screening.  The candidate has filled out an application. You’ve administered the CQA pre-employment assessment and you have the results.  Now it’s time for the interview.

Asking powerful questions that engages the candidate and gets her or him talking becomes a major factor in our success of hiring great people.  When you ask better questions, you get a better understanding of the applicants, and you are able to do a better job of selecting the top caregivers.

Each section of the assessment report gives you sample behavioral interview questions that will help you be more effective in learning about the applicant.  These sample questions are particularly helpful because they are tied to how the candidate responded to the assessment.   For example, in the General Reasoning section, a sample question might be, “Describe a time in your career when you felt like you were learning new things on the job and it was motivating for you. What was it like?”

This question gets the applicant talking about their desire to learn, and also gets them talking about past work experience.

Under the  “Tough Minded” scale, we want a candidate who is direct and determined. A sample interview question would be, “Describe a time when you came across a little too strong, and the situation may have needed a little more tactful approach.  What was the situation and how did you handle it?”

By crafting a series of these behavioral interview questions tied to the dimensions of the CQA assessment, you will be much more effective in your interviewing, and much more consistent in your selection.  Work on developing your own list of favorite behavioral interview questions.

What are some examples of your favorite questions? 

Stephen Tweed
Stephen Tweed is among the top Thought Leaders in Home Care today. As an industry researcher, author, and executive coach, he has worked with owners and CEOs of companies in the top 5% of Home Care and is a frequent speaker at Home Care association conferences and corporate meetings across the US and Canada.

Related Posts

Future of Home Care 2025

November 5, 2024
What are the factors that are affecting the future of Home Care?Many of you were helpful last year as we launched the Future of Home Care 2024 Industry Survey. Well, we're back again with an updated survey. Things are changing rapidly in Home Care, and last year's report was so well received, that we decided…

Extraordinary Transformation: A blueprint for leaders who want to Transform their Organization

June 5, 2024
By Stephen TweedAs a leader in Home Care, are you working on transforming your organization?Are you looking for strategies and insights to grow your business and get ready for the future?I've just finished reading an amazing book by my friend and professional speaking colleague, Dr. Nido Qubein. "Extraordinary Transformation: An Entrepreneurial Blueprint for Leaders Who…

Stephen Tweed’s Podcast and Webinar Appearances

May 30, 2024
As a significant Thought Leader in the Home Care industry, Stephen Tweed is frequently invited to be a guest on industry podcasts and webinars. Here are links to some of Stephen's recent appearances.July 2024 - The Caregivers Toolbox with Ryan McEniff - What Consumers, Caregivers, and Referral Partners want from Home Care. Ryan McEniff is…