How to Interview Job Candidates
As the owner of a dog walking or pet care company, it is crucial to hire qualified and passionate individuals who can provide top-quality service to your clients. When interviewing potential candidates, there are several questions you can ask to ensure that they are the right fit for your company.
Experience
First, ask about their experience working with dogs, cats, small animals, or other types of animals your company typically cares for. This can include any previous dog walking or pet sitting experience, as well as any experience they may have working with animals in other contexts such as Veterinary Hospitals, volunteering at an Animal Shelter, or fostering animals waiting for their forever homes. You can also ask about their comfort level with different breeds or sizes of dogs, as some breeds or sizes may require more experience or knowledge to handle. You can ask about their experience with cats and how comfortable they are caring for them. Some candidates may have allergies to cats, but are not allergic to dogs, or have experience with one or the other but not both.
Problem solving
Next, ask about how they would handle challenging situations that may arise. For example, during a dog walk, if a dog becomes aggressive or overly excited when he encounters other dogs, what would the candidate do? What would the candidate do if your area is under an extreme heat warning and they have a 60-minute dog walk on their schedule? By asking these questions, you can get a sense of how the candidate approaches problem-solving and whether they have the knowledge and skills to handle unexpected situations.
Customer service
You can also ask candidates to provide examples of times when they went above and beyond in any of their past positions, particularly ones involving animals. This can include anything from providing extra care or attention to animals they have cared for to handling a difficult situation with grace and professionalism. By hearing about their past experiences, you can get a sense of how dedicated and passionate they are about working with animals.
Availability
It's also important to ask about the candidate's availability and flexibility. This could include questions about their willingness to work outside in various weather conditions, their ability to handle last-minute schedule changes, and whether they have reliable transportation to and from client homes as well as any other commitments they have that would make them unavailable, such as a book club on Tuesday afternoons, or sporting events on Saturdays.
References
Finally, you can ask for references from previous pet-related work experiences. This can give you a sense of the candidate's work history and performance, as well as the experiences of previous clients.
By asking these questions and carefully considering each candidate's responses, you can make an informed decision when hiring new team members for your pet care company. With the right team in place, you can provide excellent service to your clients and ensure that their pets are well-cared, safe and happy while their pet parents are away!
