Knowing the core competencies and values of the person you hire allows you to look into the future and assess who the employee will be on the job after the initial six-month “honeymoon” is over. This shortens ramp-up time, increases productivity, reduces turnover, decreases costs and maximizes your return on the hiring investment.

When creating a competency-based interview, first and foremost hold your company values and operating standards in the highest regard, and ask yourself and the management team, “What are the non-negotiable operating standards that must be met for us to maintain our reputation, remain profitable and continue to deliver a high-quality service to our customers?” After that, very methodically and systematically verbalize and define the smart objectives, or Key Performance Indicators, required to achieve in the role. Then, drill down and ask yourself and the management team, “What are the day-to-day big-picture activities or core functions that this person will need to fully engage in to effectively achieve these objectives in the time frames we expect?”

Once you have this knowledge and you are crystal clear about what you expect from this person, then it is time to determine who they need to be, naturally and without provocation or coaching to accomplish those objectives.