AFRAID OF MAKING
A BAD HIRE?
Is IT keeping you overworked &
under-supported?
GET UNSTUCK!
GET THE HIRING SUCCESS KITS NOW!
AFRAID OF MAKING
A BAD HIRE?
Is IT keeping you overworked &
under-supported?
GET UNSTUCK!
GET THE HIRING SUCCESS KITS NOW!
AFRAID OF MAKING
A BAD HIRE?
Is IT keeping you
overworked &
under-supported?
GET UNSTUCK!
GET THE HIRING
SUCCESS KITS NOW!
AFRAID OF MAKING
A BAD HIRE?
Is IT keeping you overworked &
under-supported?
GET UNSTUCK!
GET THE HIRING SUCCESS KITS NOW!
LEGACY BUSINESS BUILDERS • September 23, 2025
What Your Business Is Telling You About The Way You Lead
LEGACY BUSINESS BUILDERS • July 1, 2025
Why Your Hires Don't Work Out (And What to Do Differently)
Want To Hire Better Employees? Start By Asking Better Interview Questions
Hey There, I'm
Taryn Cadena
Hey There, I'm
Taryn Cadena
I turned years of HR experience into simple, affordable systems to help women entrepreneurs build effective teams and step into their CEO power! I love sugary coffee, early mornings, and brainstorming new ideas with amazing women. I’m happiest in yoga pants, snuggled with my laptop and my dog Napper. My mission? To help women entrepreneurs create powerhouse teams, lead like CEOs, and build highly successful businesses that last!
Hey There, I'm
Taryn Cadena
I turned years of HR experience into simple, affordable systems to help women entrepreneurs build effective teams and step into their CEO power! I love sugary coffee, early mornings, and brainstorming new ideas with amazing women. I’m happiest in yoga pants, snuggled with my laptop and my dog Napper. My mission? To help women entrepreneurs create powerhouse teams, lead like CEOs, and build highly successful businesses that last!
LEGACY BUSINESS BUILDERS • September 23, 2025
What Makes a “Good” Interview Question for Small Business Hiring?
Hiring your first team member is a big move. You want to make the right choice, not just to fill a role, but to protect your time, your business, and your peace of mind.
The best interview questions help you do all of that, and more.
Behavior-Based Questions are Your Secret Weapon
They focus on how someone has handled real situations in the past, not just how they think or say they would handle something.
EXAMPLE
Instead of: “Do you work well under pressure?”
Ask: “Tell me about a time you were given a last-minute project. What did you do?”
Small business interview questions need to be practical and grounded in your day-to-day reality.
Start With the Job Description
Every interview question should tie directly to a task, responsibility, or attribute listed in the job description.
If you haven’t written one yet, see this job description post first.
Get Clear On The Attributes That Matter
Your job description should include the qualities someone needs to succeed.
For example:
Accountability
Perseverance
Situational Awareness
Ability to Learn
Self Discipline
Drive
Commitment
Patience
Vision
Open Mindedness
Social/Emotional Intelligence
Empathy
Leadership
Able to Work Well In A Team
Collaborative
Then create questions that reveal whether your candidate actually has them.
Here’s what that might look like:
Attribute: Self-direction
Question: Tell me about a time you managed a task or project without a lot of supervision. What was the outcome?
Attribute: Communication
Question: Describe a situation where you had to explain a complex issue to someone unfamiliar with the topic.
Attribute: Grit or resilience
Question: Share a time when a project didn’t go as planned. What did you do next?
These are the kinds of small business interview questions that actually work. They reveal how a person thinks, communicates, and shows up long before they’re on your payroll.
Pro Tip: Screen before you interview.
Before you spend time on Zoom or in-person interviews, run a quick 15–20 minute phone screening with anyone who looks qualified and fits your budget range.
In this call, clarify any education or experience that’s unclear from the resume. Then ask 1–2 key behavior-based questions that directly test for your most important attributes. If a candidate doesn’t meet your minimums here, you don’t move forward.
This light-touch screening saves you hours and ensures you only invest interview time in candidates who are likely to be a good fit.
What You Can (and Can’t) Legally Ask
You’re a small business, not a legal expert. But knowing what you can’t ask in an interview is just as important as knowing what you should.
Here’s a no-fluff guide to the most common legal traps:
DON'T ASK: How old are you?
✘ (Don’t ask anything to try to identify the person's age.)
DON'T ASK: Are you married?
✘ (Avoid all family planning or child-related questions.)
DON'T ASK: Are you a US citizen?
Instead Ask: Are you legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship?
DON'T ASK: Have you ever been arrested?
✘ (Avoid all family planning or child-related questions.)
DON'T ASK: Are you a US citizen?
Instead Ask: Have you ever been convicted of a crime relevant to this role?
DON'T ASK: Do you have any disabilities?
Instead Ask: Are you able to perform the essential duties of this job with or without reasonable accommodations?
Free up your time for CEO-level tasks
Help you hit revenue goals faster
Improve client experience and retention
Reduce burnout and business stagnation
Before you post a job ask yourself:
What does the business need most?
Do I need help generating revenue?
Do I need more efficiency behind the scenes?
Even innocent questions can create legal risk if they don’t directly relate to the job duties.
Be especially cautious with anything that touches on personal identity, health, or family status.
Need Help Making Sure Your Hiring Process Is Compliant?
My Hiring Kit includes legally-reviewed templates and screening questions that are safe, smart, and easy to customize.
What Makes a “Good” Interview Question for Small Business Hiring?
Hiring your first team member is a big move. You want to make the right choice, not just to fill a role, but to protect your time, your business, and your peace of mind.
The best interview questions help you do all of that, and more.
Behavior-Based Questions are Your Secret Weapon
They focus on how someone has handled real situations in the past, not just how they think or say they would handle something.
EXAMPLE
Instead of: “Do you work well under pressure?”
Ask: “Tell me about a time you were given a last-minute project. What did you do?”
Small business interview questions need to be practical and grounded in your day-to-day reality.
Start With the Job Description
Every interview question should tie directly to a task, responsibility, or attribute listed in the job description.
If you haven’t written one yet, see this job description post first.
Get Clear On The Attributes That Matter
Your job description should include the qualities someone needs to succeed.
For example:
Accountability
Perseverance
Situational Awareness
Ability to Learn
Self Discipline
Drive
Commitment
Patience
Vision
Open Mindedness
Social/Emotional Intelligence
Empathy
Leadership
Able to Work Well In A Team
Collaborative
Then create questions that reveal whether your candidate actually has them.
Here’s what that might look like:
Attribute: Self-direction
Question: Tell me about a time you managed a task or project without a lot of supervision. What was the outcome?
Attribute: Communication
Question: Describe a situation where you had to explain a complex issue to someone unfamiliar with the topic.
Attribute: Grit or resilience
Question: Share a time when a project didn’t go as planned. What did you do next?
These are the kinds of small business interview questions that actually work. They reveal how a person thinks, communicates, and shows up long before they’re on your payroll.
Pro Tip: Screen before you interview.
Before you spend time on Zoom or in-person interviews, run a quick 15–20 minute phone screening with anyone who looks qualified and fits your budget range.
In this call, clarify any education or experience that’s unclear from the resume. Then ask 1–2 key behavior-based questions that directly test for your most important attributes. If a candidate doesn’t meet your minimums here, you don’t move forward.
This light-touch screening saves you hours and ensures you only invest interview time in candidates who are likely to be a good fit.
What You Can
(and Can’t)
Legally Ask
You’re a small business, not a legal expert. But knowing what you can’t ask in an interview is just as important as knowing what you should.
Here’s a no-fluff guide to the most common legal traps:
DON'T ASK: How old are you?
✘ (Don’t ask anything to try to identify the person's age.)
DON'T ASK: Are you married?
✘ (Avoid all family planning or child-related questions.
DON'T ASK: Are you a US citizen?
Instead Ask: Are you legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship?
DON'T ASK: Have you ever been arrested?
✘ (Avoid all family planning or child-related questions.)
DON'T ASK: Are you a US citizen?
Instead Ask: Have you ever been convicted of a crime relevant to this role?
DON'T ASK: Do you have any disabilities?
Instead Ask: Are you able to perform the essential duties of this job with or without reasonable accommodations?
Even innocent questions can create legal risk if they don’t directly relate to the job duties.
Be especially cautious with anything that touches on personal identity, health, or family status.
Need Help Making Sure Your Hiring Process Is Compliant?
My Hiring Kit includes legally-reviewed templates and screening questions that are safe, smart, and easy to customize.
Hey There, I'm
Taryn Cadena
I turned years of HR experience into simple, affordable systems to help women entrepreneurs build effective teams and step into their CEO power! I love sugary coffee, early mornings, and brainstorming new ideas with amazing entrepreneurs. I’m happiest in yoga pants, snuggled with my laptop and my dog Napper. My mission? To help women entrepreneurs create powerhouse teams, lead like CEOs, and build highly successful businesses that last!
A FEW OF MY FAVORITE TOOLS
01. Jazz HR
If you're posting jobs on multiple boards, save yourself time, money and major stress by using a hiring platform designed for small business hiring.
02. Talent LMS
My go-to for creating easy onboarding experiences and training programs that grow with your business.
If you're a small business owner who's ready to stop winging it when it comes to hiring, you're in the right place.
But hiring isn't just about filling a seat. It's about building a foundation for sustainable growth.
This post walks you through the exact hiring plan I use with my clients to help them scale their business confidently.
Whether you're making your first hire or trying to fix past hiring mistakes, this simple but strategic approach can change everything.
Why Your Hiring Strategy Matters More Than You Think
Most entrepreneurs wait too long to hire, or they make rushed decisions when things get overwhelming.
You’re missing key pieces of information that would have helped you make a better decision up front.
Hiring the right person in the right role can:
Free up your time for CEO-level tasks
Help you hit revenue goals faster
Improve client experience and retention
Reduce burnout and business stagnation
And yet, so many founders struggle because they:
Hire based on personality instead of skill
Skip onboarding and hope for the best
Confuse “help” with actual “fit”
Sound familiar? If so, this hiring plan is for YOU!
STEP 1: Identify the Right Position for Right Now
Hey There, I'm
Taryn Cadena
I turned years of HR experience into simple, affordable systems to help women entrepreneurs build effective teams and step into their CEO power! I love sugary coffee, early mornings, and brainstorming new ideas with amazing women. I’m happiest in yoga pants, snuggled with my laptop and my dog Napper. My mission? To help women entrepreneurs create powerhouse teams, lead like CEOs, and build highly successful businesses that last!
A FEW OF MY FAVORITE TOOLS
01. Jazz HR
If you're posting jobs on multiple boards, save yourself time, money and major stress by using a hiring platform designed for small business hiring.
02. Talent LMS
My go-to for creating easy onboarding experiences and training programs that grow with your business.
OTHER POSTS
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