“But I really don’t care about the customers”.  Yes, that is what a Customer Service Representative (CSR) told me during our discussion about the Care principle. Although it was an opportunity to explore what she meant, to help her think more about caring, wouldn’t that owner have been better off hiring someone who already had a caring attitude? It is common sense and every owner knows the importance of hiring the right people but they don’t know how to do that. Why? Because they stay stuck in doing things the way they’ve always done them. I would bet that you ask the same questions about experience and education in every job interview, no matter the position you want to fill. Simon Sinek, is his book, Start with Why, wrote, “The role of a leader is to not come up with all of the great ideas. The role of a leader is to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.” Are you hiring people who care? People who have great ideas? To find these people, either toss the standard questions or ask those standard questions at the beginning of the interview and then say, “Tell me something you’ve done for a neighbor that made their life better?” and/or, “Tell me a time when you went out of your way to make a co-worker’s life or job better”. What will this tell you? That they actually think about others. And the people who are sincere in their caring, will be reluctant to tell you this because they didn’t do it to tell anyone else about it. Ask them if they have ever volunteered for a cause they care about. Ask for details about what they did. The answer to this question tells you that they are not just passionate about something but they are also thinking, looking for ways to make the world a better place and they will bring that attitude to your business. Numerous web sites that advise job seekers emphasize the importance of eye contact. Do your part and look the person you’re interviewing in the eye. Smile. Be sure to let the potential employee know you care by looking them in the eye, smiling and really listening. Some people feel they need to take notes in an interview. Resist the temptation and make notes when the interview is over. Make it easy for them to be themselves. This will tell you if they are a good fit for the company. What happens when you have scheduled an interview and you get busy? Reschedule. Carve out the time needed. Control distractions. All of this is in your power. Those people who genuinely care and have great ideas are out there. To find them, you need to set aside the questions you usually ask and solicit more information using probing questions that will discover them. Looking for an effective way to provide your new hires with training?  Be among the first to reserve your spot on Power Certification HQ, The Premier Membership for Service Businesses Wanting to Empower Their People, WOW Their Customers, and GROW Their Business 

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Mary Burkett was born in Southern New Jersey, raised in Southern California, Mary Burkett is a graduate of the University of Utah.
Like many Americans, she has had more than one career, including being a Marketing Director in the shopping center industry, being a coach with Power Selling Pros and owning a Business and Personal Development coaching company. 
She has six grown children, expects her 24th grandchild later this year, is active in her community, reads a lot, writes her own personal blog and works on special projects for Power Selling Pros.
Mary and her semi-retired husband live in Southern Utah.