Hiring is often a challenge for any business owner
By Janet McLeod, East City Flower Shop

Finding staff, teaching staff and sometimes firing staff – uggg is ongoing.
Over the years we have created a series of interview questions that help us learn more about the interviewee. Yes, we have the standard “what did you like best about working at…”  “tell me about a hobby or activity you enjoy” “ tell about a goal you set for yourself and how you went about obtaining this goal” questions.

We have a small work area and we meet with people at all stages of the ‘Circle of Life’ so you need to be sympathetic and you also need to be able to banter. Some of the questions we have added to our interview process, and these have been tailored to us, are:

• Lion or bear, who wins? There is no correct answer, but no answer is not what we are looking for.
• What would you do if the power went out and you were here alone? The correct answer is something similar to “ I would check next door and see if the power is out everywhere” or “ I would check the fuse panel” We have heard answers like “I would lock up and leave” “ I would lock the door” “ Don’t worry, I would stay”
• Tell me about the last book you read. We like to work with people who have varying interests.

Staffing is a full time consideration in a small business, taking time to create questions that make it easy to find people who are a good fit for your workplace is a great first step to finding long term staff.

_{Janet McLeod
Canada’s eighth accredited master florist
Peterborough Examiner Reader’s Choice 2013
East City Flower Shop
159 Douro Street
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9H 1H7
Telephone: 705-742-1617
Website: www.eastcityflowershop.com
Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LWChMdTf8A}