Interviewing Tips for the Sign Shop Interviewer

When it comes to recruiting new employees, one of the most important parts of the process is the interview. The interview is a potential new hire's first impression of your company, and we all know how much first impressions matter.

There are a lot of ways shopVOX print shop software can help you recruit and vet job candidates. With shopVOX, you can help store and access applicant data at the touch of a button. You can schedule interviews and follow-ups, as well as set reminders so nothing ever gets lost in the shuffle. You can keep and share notes with other employees.

As you learn more about shopVOX and its boundless versatility, we’re confident you’ll see the possibilities are endless. At the end of the day, however, interviews aren’t about software. They’re about people.

Want to know the key to being a great sign shop interviewer? Follow the steps below and you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to talented, eager job candidates.

What to Do BEFORE Interview

When we said that first impressions matter, we weren’t kidding. In many cases, the first impression is all the difference between a deal-maker and a deal-breaker when you’re trying to recruit a talented workforce. Ensure the impression you make is a good one by treating your sign shop as if it were about to be scrutinized under close inspection.

That means having your building properly cleaned, decluttered, and ready for visitors. It also means making sure that the person responsible for greeting your potential new hire (such as the receptionist) is professional and knows the candidate’s name and reason for being there.

You may want to think about reserving a temporary parking space for the prospect, as well. Let them know ahead of time if you do this, and post a sign at the parking spot so they know where to go.

When the prospect arrives, thank them for taking the time to come to your sign shop for the interview. Then offer up some refreshments. Try to avoid making them wait. If you must make them wait, make sure they have a comfortable place to sit in the meantime.

Before the interview begins, it might also be a good idea to walk the candidate through your office while giving them a rundown of what you do. This is the perfect opportunity to share your company’s story, and invite them to become a part of it.

What to Do DURING the Interview

In an interview, everything you say is important, but so is the way you say it. Be courteous and attentive; a good rule of thumb is to listen twice as much as you talk. Ask open-ended questions and write down all of the candidate’s answers so you can review them again later. Pay attention to eye contact, both yours and theirs.

If you have a copy of the prospect’s application or resume on hand (and you should!), address any gaps in their employment history. Once you get into the particulars of the position you’re hiring for, it’s important to make sure the prospect knows what is expected of them. 

Communicate what the typical workday at your company is like for someone occupying the position they’re interviewing for. Tell them what days they will be working and what hours they are expected to be available. Let the prospect know what the next steps in your hiring process are, and thank them for their time when the interview is concluded.

Suggested Interview Questions

• How did you hear about us?

• Why are you considering [COMPANY NAME] for a position?

• Other than the position you are applying for, are there any other positions you may qualify for?

• Describe your ideal position

• Why have you left, or want to leave, your previous position?

• What was the best/worst thing about your previous position?

• What days do you like to work?

• What hours are you available at work?

• How would your previous employer describe you?

• How do your friends describe you?

• Have you ever been fired from a job? Explain.

• What can you bring to [COMPANY NAME] that we don’t currently have?

• Have you ever been in a sales position?

• What did you like about it?

• Do you like to work in a group or alone? Why?

• What do you like to do in your free time?

• What is your ideal job?

• How did you choose to be in the sign business?

• What is the most money you have ever made in a year?

• Is money driving you or are there other things that are more important?

• How often do you work overtime?

• How many times have you been late in the last six months?

• How many days of work have you missed in the last six months?

• What do you expect to make this year? How about in five years?

• What benefits are you looking for?

• How much training do you think you need?

• Have you ever been asked to collect money from customers?

• Explain how you handle difficult customers?

• Can you pass a pre-employment drug test?

• Is there anything in your past that would preclude you from being hired?

• From what you have seen would you want to work for [COMPANY NAME]?

• What are the qualities you think you could provide to our company?

What to Do AFTER the Interview

Once you’ve finished interviewing a candidate, you’re going to want to start thinking about whether you should hire them or another candidate entirely. We can’t tell you how to pick the right prospect. That’s up to you.

After the interview, you and your hiring manager are going to have to weigh the answers the prospect gave during the interview against the answers you were looking for. From there, you can compare  those results against the results of any other candidate you may have interviewed for the position.

When making your decision, take into consideration not just a prospect’s prior experience and certifications, but also if the person in question is a good fit for your workplace. How well do you think they would gel with your company culture? What effect would they have on team morale?

Additionally, remember that versatility is always a plus. Did the person you interviewed bring something unique to the table, something you don’t yet don’t have in your talent pool? 

If someone you’re interviewing for a sales position also has a background in graphic design or digital marketing, those attributes can benefit your business.

Here at shopVOX, one of the questions we hear the most when it comes to the subject of hiring is: Is it better to hire someone new and train them or to hire someone who already has experience?

The truth is that there’s no industry-wide consensus. We recommend a healthy mix of both as the best way to go when putting together a solid workforce. The advantages of an employee with prior industry experience are obvious, but there’s something to be said for someone who is willing to learn the way you want things done and isn’t married to the way their previous employer preferred things.

If you’re willing to train someone, make sure to include that in your job posting. Also, put some thought into integrating that training into the employee’s onboarding process. If a new hire’s training is rushed or cobbled together haphazardly, their work will likely be equally ramshackled and you may even lose that employee out of frustration.

Give New Hires the Tools to Succeed with shopVOX

Picking the right candidate for a position is a big part of setting yourself up for success. Ensuring that your employees are equipped with all the tools they need to do their job well, is equally as important.

shopVOX sign software is designed from the ground up to meet the specific needs of print shop business owners and the people who work for them. Every feature of shopVOX is there to help your sign shop streamline its process, boost its productivity, and grow its business.

Try it today and see for yourself!