Job-hunting is one of the most stressful situations you’ll ever encounter, so the candidates you interview may be less than natural. It’s up to you to ignore your first impressions and create a favorable interview environment by adopting the right behaviors to put candidates at ease, whatever their profile.
Do you know the main types of candidates you’ll be interviewing, and above all, do you know how to adapt to get the best out of them?
Here are a few questions to find out!
1. Anita is the reserved type: she answers all questions very succinctly or not explicitly, without ever going into detail. What can you do about it?
a. Point out that she doesn’t seem interested.
b. Shorten the interview because it’s pointless
c. Ask open-ended questions that invite detailed answers
The correct answer is c.
- Here are some other tips to apply:
- Put Anita at ease by having a warm and welcoming attitude – you can even give her a tour of the premises or share coffee in the kitchen if the interview is in person;
- Pay attention to your own body and non-verbal language – it shouldn’t give the impression that you’re being closed-minded;
- Give Anita time to formulate her answers;
- Reinforce her ideas, for example with a nod or an “OK”;
- Rephrase Anita’s words, which may prompt her to add details.
- Tell Anita you want to know more;
o Encourage her to ask questions;
o Compliment Anita when she gives an excellent answer. - Encourage her to ask questions;
- Compliment Anita when she gives an excellent answer.
2. Wing is the stressed type: he seems agitated and nervous, even anxious. This is reflected in his stammering, his nervous tics, the tremors he tries to hide and his shortness of breath. What can you do about it?
a. Try to build Wing’s confidence by telling him that you too used to stammer during oral presentations at school.
b. Try to release the tension and bring Wing back into his comfort zone by asking him informal questions, for example about his favorite TV show or hobby.
c. Hand him a stress ball
The correct answer is b.
- You can also create a personal connection with Wing by asking ice-breaking questions. In addition, you can apply the same techniques as for reserved candidates, such as adopting a warm attitude, to help establish a relaxed atmosphere.
3. Stéphany has a tendency to talk a lot and answer in too much detail, which can be confusing… She’s a talkative type. What can you do about it?
a. Use key phrases like “I have to stop you for fear of running out of time for the next questions”.
b. Subtly cut her off
c. a and b
That’s definitely c.
– In addition to these two tips, there are the following possibilities:
o Invite Stéphany to summarize her answers;
o Introduce questions with “in a few words”, “in summary”, etc..;
o Offer Stéphany a wave of questions, each with a time limit of 30 to 60 seconds for the answer;
o Ask very specific questions about concrete elements, such as her work environment or tasks, to obtain more precise answers;
o Ask follow-up questions to clarify the subject when too many details muddy the waters.
c. a and b
That’s definitely c.
- In addition to these two tips, there are the following possibilities:
- Invite Stéphany to summarize her answers;
- Introduce questions with “in a few words”, “in summary”, etc..;
- Offer Stéphany a wave of questions, each with a time limit of 30 to 60 seconds for the answer;
- Ask very specific questions about concrete elements, such as her work environment or tasks, to obtain more precise answers;
- Ask follow-up questions to clarify the subject when too many details muddy the waters.
4. Darling doesn’t express herself clearly. She goes from one thing to another and can’t find any examples to back up her ideas – her answers are very general. How do you respond to this rambling type?
a. Rephrase the questions and the answers you get, so as to draw out the relevant points.
b. Frown to express your lack of understanding, in the hope that she will clarify her thoughts.
c. Repeat the same question until you obtain a well-constructed and satisfactory answer.
The correct answer is a.
- Answer b would be inappropriate, since such non-verbal behavior on your part could be intimidating; that said, you can tell Darling that you’re not sure you’ve understood correctly and ask her to be more explicit, or kindly invite her to take her time in answering. Finally, you can also propose a very concrete context to prompt an equally concrete response, for example: “I’d like you to give me a concrete example of a time when this situation happened to you”.
5. Réjean is the perfect type: he can’t think of anything he needs to improve on and takes credit for his team’s successes. He may be acting this way because he doesn’t know how to get ahead, especially since he really wants this job! What can you do about it?
a. Make Réjean realize that his “exploits” are not so brilliant, so that he puts his success into perspective.
b. Explain that, beyond success, your organization values self-knowledge and personal development.
c. Satisfy yourself with the presentation of his successes, which tell you a lot about the extent of his skills.
The correct answer is b.
- You can also apply the following tips to cultivate modesty and the ability to deal with failures:
- Let Réjean know that nobody is perfect, starting with you;
- Invite him to tell you how he has dealt with a failure at work, or how he failed to complete an essential task;
- Ask him to talk about a challenge he faced or a project that didn’t turn out as he’d hoped.
6. Meyranha is critical: she often attributes her failures and shortcomings to others, doesn’t take responsibility for her mistakes and blames her colleagues, superiors or customers for the challenges she encounters. What can you do about it?
a. Verify Meyranha’s ability to collaborate and work in a team by asking situational/scenario questions (e.g.: “Give me an example where you had to collaborate with other parts of the organization on a project”).
b. Try to understand the reason behind the accusations made
c. a and b
The correct answer is c.
- You can also direct the questions in such a way as to get Meyranha to point out the qualities and good deeds of others, for example with questions like “what’s the best lesson you’ve learned from a former colleague?” or “what did you like best about your previous job?”
7. Ian seems to know everything about your organization and your team. He also seems to have a ready-made answer for every one of your questions… Ian is the overprepared type. How can you make sure you meet his true nature and not a persona designed specifically to pass the interview?
a. By confronting Ian about the fact that his answers seem ready-made.
b. By asking him unexpected questions or presenting him with surprising scenarios
c. By skipping the interview and concentrating more on getting recommendations from his past professional contacts.
The correct answer is b.
- By being creative in the answers you give, you’ll force Ian to abandon his “role”, since the “scenario” he’s built up won’t be suitable for the scenarios presented.
8. Banksir is the conciliatory type: he says yes to everything you say, hesitates to express his opinion, nods his head, smiles… He seems so eager to please that he’s incapable of expressing disagreement. What can you do about it?
a. Try to find out what’s behind his habit of saying “yes”.
b. Encourage Banksir to express his opinions and talk about his experiences.
c. a and b
The correct answer is c.
- You can also help him express his disagreement by saying the following:
- “What type of colleague or supervisor do you work best with?”
- “Tell me about a time when you had to voice your disagreement to your team.”
- “Describe your worst experience in a customer service role.”
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In short, by adapting to the types of candidates you interview, you’ll find it easier to get answers to your questions, and your interview process will be fairer. This will multiply your chances of finding the right person for the job!