You already know interviews can be stressful for candidates, and the interviewer. You also already know that candidate experience matters. You also know that getting hiring right is key.
You likely know that it’s important to ask the right questions and to allow the candidate a few moments to ask a question.
I bet you don’t realize that the time at the end for being curious is not enough.
3 Simple Promises and 1 Question
- Commit that you will make every effort to clarify the candidate’s responses. It is your goal not to let them walk away thinking they weren’t clear or that you didn’t understand them.
- Commit you will share your candid feedback at the end of the call. Candidates know exactly where they stand with you.
- Share your desire that candidates get as much value from the time as you.
Ask: “What would make this call so valuable that a year from now, you’ll still remember this as the most valuable interview you’ve ever had?
Then: Start with what the candidate wants first.
Gains from Trade
An interview is like a trade. Questions are being given in exchange for ideas. The quality of the trade is a function of the questions and the answers.
if you’re an interviewer, you care very much about getting quality data (answers) to make decisions from. And if you want quality data, then you’ll need to put the candidate in the best position possible to make useful outputs.
If you want useful outputs, then delivering value to the candidate quickly and early makes a difference. When the candidate sees you keeping their promise, in Customer Success we call that “Moment of Truth” or “Moment of Proof”, then they will give you something valuable in return.
After I have given the candidate what they want, I then go into my questions. After each answer, I’ll often clarify what I’m hearing. “Here’s how I’m hearing this (insert recap). Where am I wrong? How might I be misunderstanding?” I ask questions like this to see if the candidate will push back. Since the candidate is clarifying their own thinking, you’ll more easily see how the candidate pushes back on you. That’s a useful skill for someone who is customer-facing or doing a lot of communication (even negotiation).
Sharing the disposition of a candidate at the end of a call is a brave move. I do it, and I know other leaders who do too. Be careful that you’re following any HR guidelines and be make sure you’re basing that decision on the appropriate criteria. If you can master this skill, you’re always several standard deviations away from the average interviewer.
To end the interview, I’ll repeat back the promises I made. I say, “I promised I would take every opportunity to actively listen and clarify, do you believe I did that?” “I promised you would know exactly where you stand at the end of this, do you?” “And, I communicate my hope to make this interview so valuable that a year from now you’ll still be extracting value. What value have you received?” 100% of the time people say they learned something about themselves, they’re even more motivated to interview next steps, and are so happy they invested the time to meet.
Principle-Agent Problem as a Response to Critique
Critics could argue that this process takes time that may not be available. That’s true. I can complete this interview in 30-45 minutes. Since getting the right people is so critical for me, I’ll happily invest the time because the returns are great.
Additionally, traditional interviews are an asymmetrical exchange — economists call this a principle-agent problem. The interviewer and the interviewee each hold lots of knowledge that isn’t shared and makes the deal less optimal. Knowledge like: who they are, how they are to work with, and and what they’ve done in the past. By adopting the approach I’m advocating you reduce the amount of asymmetry by making the interview a more balanced exchange of value which will lead to a more optimal trade.
Coda
My strategy is not “the” strategy. It’s not “the” one way to interview. It’s what works for me and how I want to show up as a leader. Your mileage may vary.
What matters is this: do you care? how do you show you care? and how do you show that you’re worth spending more time with?
Talent Revolution 