This is something I once read that really struck me because we usually do this reversed. We hire fast, and fire slow.

Firing is very hard. It feels terrible. You try and try to make it work…and while there are small signs of improvement, you end up sliding back into the “this isn’t working” place. And you can’t honestly recommend this person to anyone else in your organization. Here’s the problem with firing slow.

Once you’ve come to the conclusion that you need to fire someone, chances are you’re already overdue. You’ve taken on the burden of their work, or their colleagues have. You’ve gotten the complaints from others about the person. Your group meetings are tense because people resent the individual. Mistakes are being made, projects are falling behind schedule. You’re spending the majority of your time on this person. Human resources has heard about the person.

Firing someone is not saying they are bad, or a failure. It’s usually about wrong job in the wrong company, and maybe the wrong industry. BTW, they are probably miserable also: it’s not fun to be unsuccessful in a job day in and day out.  Needless to say, human resources are the experts in these cases. The minute you sense that this might be the outcome, you need to get them involved.

Hiring is the exact opposite. You’re both on your best behavior during the interview process: anyone can be charming/smart/fun for an hour. But you need to really assess whether or not the person can be successful in the role you’re interviewing them for.

Some interview questions I like: (everyone knows the strengths and weaknesses question, and they always pick a weakness that sounds like a strength: e.g. “I’ve been told that I drive hard and sometimes need to slow down.”)

1. “What would the people at work who like you say about you? What would your detractors say?” (It’s like the strengths and weaknesses question, but forces them to look at it from another person’s point of view, not their own. It’s also hard to lie. When they have nothing to say, it tells me they might not be very self-aware).

2. “Why do you want to work here?” (It’s amazing, but a lot comes out: both good and bad. I’ve heard everything from “I need a job” to “I have some good friends who work here and they seem really happy”).

3. “Tell me about yourself”..again, another open question (also amazing what people will tell you).

You can’t always get it right when you hire someone. But chances are, your gut instincts are going to be pretty good. I can usually tell in the first 5 minutes of an interview. When someone will be leaving a job, I am even more careful: you want to make sure this is the right thing for them.

Don’t get swayed by the perfect “on paper” resume, and don’t discount the unusual candidate.  A CEO once told me that his mantra was “Look for a great athlete, and worry about what position they’ll play later”.