Hiring ‘Challenges’ to Test Out During Your Next Interview

When seeking to fill a position, there are a lot of factors to consider outside of just a candidate’s resume. Are they a good cultural fit? Will they be enjoyable to work with? Do they take direction? Are they are a servant leader? 

In a traditional one-on-one scenario, these questions aren’t always easy to answer. This is where a hiring “challenge” comes into play — specific tests or scenarios with the goal of revealing a candidate’s true character. 

Recently, examples of hiring challenges were shared at the 2019 Club Solutions Leadership Retreat. Here’s a recap of some of the top hiring challenges proposed at the event, for you to draw inspiration from: 

The Gauntlet: As a part of this challenge, you’d have an interviewee come in, and then you (the interviewer), would then get called to a different part of the club for an “emergency.” You’d then take the candidate with you. While you’re handling the “emergency,” get some feedback from the candidate on what they think a potential solution could be. This challenge will help you determine how a candidate works under pressure. 

Front Desk Meet & Greet: In many instances, a first person a candidate meets is the front desk employee. For this challenge, let your front desk staff know in advance a candidate is coming in for an interview and to keep an eye out for them. Have score cards so your front desk staff can evaluate a candidate objectively. On a scale of 1 to 5, how often did the candidate smile, for example? What were their initial first impressions?

Differentiation Challenge: Give the candidate a set of questions to answer while shopping three to five of your brand’s competitors. Have them put together a report/recap of key differentiators, what they noted, why they want to work at your club over the competition, etc. This is a time intensive challenge, however you’ll know if someone completes the challenge, they’re serious about working for your brand. 

Eye for Detail: For this challenge, give the interviewee a clipboard and say, “We want you to walk the club and come back with 10 opportunities you’ve uncovered to improve the club.” Observe them while they’re going through the exercise — are they looking up and engaging with members, etc.? The quality of their feedback will also reveal their observation skills. 

Do you do a hiring test or challenge at your club? Share in the comments.