June 2008
How to Shut Up During an Interview
We all do it. We get excited about a candidate and possibly even more excited about filling the void we’ve been trying to cover and getting back to our own “real work” of the day. In our excitement, we inadvertently talk-away the only chance we may have to find out critical information about our potential employees.
The best way to shut yourself up is to imagine the worst employee who has ever worked for you. As I close my eyes I can easily picture the great interview I had with a charming gent who turned out to have a gambling habit which led him to do hundreds of deals with customers—for cash—and ultimately embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars from our client (try and beat that one!). My only defense is that it was over 20 years ago—but the point is that when I begin to get excited about a candidate, I remind myself that the only chance I have to find out information is to ask questions and then keep my own talking to a minimum.
But What About Liars?
Liars are often expert at telling falsehoods, and there is little defense against someone who has been lying throughout their entire career. The primary reason we need to let the candidates do the talking is to allow ourselves to sense any red flags they raise within us during the interview process. This internal red flag sensor is dulled if we are talking and projecting our own positive energy into the conversation instead of just letting the candidate talk and talk and talk.
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Prepared exclusively for clients of Brenda Abdilla and Management Momentum — Sent Mid-Monthly
