We’ve all experienced the tried and true (read: stale) interview questions, like “what are your strengths and weaknesses,” but studies have shown that these types of inquiries don’t really do much to help a hiring manager understand who’s best for a particular role. This is especially the case when you’re interviewing someone for an executive position. To really land the most qualified candidate for your property management company, try incorporating a few of these creative, thought-provoking questions into the interview process.
Describe a particular problem you’ve encountered in your career and how you dealt with it.
This has become a more common question, but it’s still highly effective – especially for an executive in the property management field. Individuals at this level absolutely must have effective problem-solving skills and the response to this will help you identify the most qualified candidate.
What do you think are the most noteworthy trends in our industry and how do they impact us?
If someone is interviewing for an executive position, they should at the very least have a good handle on what’s going on in the property management spectrum. You want someone who already has their finger on the pulse of what’s happening.
How do you approach developing relationships with your colleagues and subordinates?
Another critical skill of executives today is the ability to create and foster relationships with the people around them. This is a sign of leadership as opposed to just management. If a candidate seems uncomfortable with this question, he or she may not be the best fit.
What do you believe is the best method for dealing with difficult or unhappy clients?
In addition to solid leadership skills and a good rapport with employees, successful executives should also be well versed in keeping customers happy. Someone who can present an effective strategy for appeasing a challenging client will bring more to the table than someone who seems out of touch.
Related Post: Hire and Retain The Right People For Your Property Management Team
Have you ever had to terminate an employee?
If so, how did you handle it? This can be a sticky situation, but it’s something that most candidates at the executive level will have to deal with at some point. Terminating someone isn’t easy, and how it’s approached can mean all the difference. A qualified professional should be comfortable making difficult decisions, including firing people if necessary, for the overall betterment of the company.
What would you do if you discovered a colleague doing something unethical?
You want the people you have at the top level of your organization to maintain the utmost level of integrity. Reporting another colleague for engaging in activity that is detrimental to the company is never easy, but it should be something your candidates are comfortable doing if need be.
The goal of any hiring manager is to attract and retain the top candidates for the job, particularly when the opening is at an executive level. These outside-of-the-box questions will provide a more complete picture of who each prospect is and how capable they are of fulfilling the duties set forth. The more legwork you do on the front end, the better your chances of landing the ideal professional for the job.
Get the full scoop on How to Build an Extraordinary Property Management Team. Download our FREE RESOURCE GUIDE.
