5 Ways to Determine if an Interviewee is Worth Consideration

When hiring for a new position, it can take quite a few painstaking hours to sift through the collection of applications and resumes to find the best candidates for the job. In some communities, this can be a very large chore. Once the perfect-looking candidates are selected, it’s time to start calling in the job seekers for the face-to-face interview. Determining if a candidate is worth consideration for the position is one of the most difficult processes for the hiring manager. You don’t want someone who is not going to be a good fit for the company. You need someone that is going to be an asset, not a liability. How can you tell them apart from those who simply just want a job?

1. Attire – One of the most important things that should run through an interviewee’s mind is how to impress you. He or she should wear the best clothes they have and exude the utmost professional look. If they look like they just came from the gym, it is definitely a bad sign.

2. Seating – Although it may sound silly to some, how someone sits in the chair as soon as the interview starts can say a lot about his or her personality and current interest in the matter at hand. Those who lean back in a defensive position are more guarded and tend to shift around questions. Those who sit forward are interested in the conversation and are ready to answer any questions you may have.

3. Eye Contact – This is quite a common tell. If someone can’t look you in the eyes as they speak, there is usually a reason. Most of the time, it is because they are about to lie or that they feel embarrassed or ashamed about something they have done. An ideal interviewee will hang on your every word and make constant eye contact during questioning. An honest person will have nothing to hide and will be attentive to the conversation.

4. Examples – Regardless of how much practice the interviewee may have had in response to your questions, asking for examples is a good way to get at truthful content. For instance, questions that start with “What would you do if…” can go one of three ways. Either the interviewee will hesitate while he or she thinks of something you want to hear, he or she will draw on a personal experience to answer the question, or the interviewee will simply say, “I don’t know, it’s never happened before.” At which point, you should give him or her extra points for being honest.

5. Collaboration – Sometimes, asking the interviewee about material on his or her application can bring greater detail to the situation. If they can’t remember what exactly is on their application and resume, it is a bad sign. Of course, this can also work to the benefit of both parties. If there is something questionable on either the application or the resume, this gives the interviewee a chance to explain in greater detail.

Regardless of who the candidate is, they are there to impress you. They will say and do anything in order to gain your favor. You need to be observant in the interview process and note down irregularities for further scrutiny later. Don’t take everything they say as truth for it may wind up hurting your company down the road.