Wednesday Wisdom: How do you spell RELIEF?

Dear Claudia,

How do you handle an interview when the candidate is preoccupied with a personal issue? I had a candidate this week who insisted she didn’t want to reschedule, even though she was obviously speaking from the bathroom and flushed the toilet many times during the call. It was obvious she was suffering, and it was really awkward for me to continue. Should I have just cut it off for her relief?

Kind-but-uncomfortable

Hi Kind-but-uncomfortable,

Alrighty then. It’s been a few weeks since we’ve discussed bodily functions, so let’s just go there. Love the question.

In learning the art of the interview, recruiters perfect the dual roles of investigator and gate keeper. This is a bit of an extreme situation, but what I really hear you asking is “How can I better control the interview?” I laugh as I write this, because the first sign of old age is when you start sounding like your parents; my old boss used to say, “The cardinal rule of recruiting is (repeat after me, children)…control every step of the process, all of the time!” Can you control others? Of course not. Can you anticipate disaster (or a steamroller candidate) and direct the outcome? You bet.

Surprise, surprise: candidates have agendas for interviews. “I want this job.” “I have the required skills.” “I’ll say what I need to get a shot at the real decision-maker.” The thing is, in that moment you are the real decision-maker. And let’s read between the lines a bit further; if we turn off the volume (no pun intended) and just watch the behavior of the candidate, what does it tell you that she insisted on continuing an interview when she was obviously incapacitated? It doesn’t smell like the bathroom to me, it smells like fear. The more interesting question for this candidate might have been, “why are you afraid of postponing this conversation?” I'd be watching like a hawk for more "tells" of fear-based behavior or questionable judgment.

Once you know the secrets of controlling an interview, you can relax and have some fun with it. Start with a standard agenda; tell the candidate up front you’re going discuss X, Y and Z, and that you’ll leave time at the end of the call for questions. Follow a standard interview template (here’s a good one, if you need it: 5 and 5 Interview Training White Paper.pdf), and always end the interview with some feedback. This might mean that you coach the candidate on an aspect of his presentation, or that you set expectations for where he ranks in the competition with others. Each of these tactics sends a subtle message that you drive the bus: you’re prepared for the conversation, you’re knowledgeable of the requirements, and you make the final decision about who moves forward, and who doesn’t.

Sometimes, it just boils down to saying what you need, instead of asking what the candidate wants. Consider changing the phrase “Would you like to reschedule?” to “I’d like to reschedule.” And if your baloney meter goes off with the answer (if you have kids, you know what I’m talking about), don’t hesitate to ask why; the answer to that question could tell you the really important stuff you need to know about your candidate.

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In my day job, I’m the head of Products for Improved Experience, where we help employers use feedback to measure and manage engagement for competitive advantage in hiring and retention. Learn more about us here.

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Comment by Meg Campbell, CIR, CDR, ACIR on May 21, 2008 at 10:22am: Very interesting Claudia...you know I have actually experienced this unfortunate reality with a few candidates in the past. I agree with your explanation of how the Recruiter is the one in control. However, when I found myself in similar scenarios, I purposely ask the candidate IF they would like to reschedule. I still feel I am the one in control, even though I am offering them a choice. I feel you can gauge a lot about the individual from their response/behavior when you have the ball in their court for a moment or two.

I prefer to “roll with the punches” that you are given by the candidate and discreetly assess them based on the reality they are giving me. I would rather them be honest and chose their fate, then me recommended next step(s), if they don’t feel they need a second chance, then why force them? After all, I won’t be there to recommend/guide them in their work place, so they need to show me their decision making capabilities.
If they chose (or 'insist') on continuing the interview during a time of personal despair, that tells me they are somewhat desperate and have poor decision making skills when representing themselves. And if they think I can’t hear what they are doing on the other end of the phone, they may be a couple steps left of center. Furthermore, if they know I can hear, but still chose to go on…well, they are not being considerate and clearly forgetting about the bigger picture of why we are even talking to one another. Giving them the opportunity to choose (right or wrong) during a professional interview shows me their standards in addition to when/where they might go wrong in the work place.

But that’s just me. :)

Comment by Joshua Letourneau on May 21, 2008 at 6:35pm: Now that's what I call candidate control - either that, or they want out of their job really bad :) I've actually had some candidates get sick during "resignation training" on the morning they were handing in their notice . . . but never during an informal conversation!
I have to ask the obvious question: Was this person a board candidate??? (just kidding) :)

Comment by RecruiterGuy on May 21, 2008 at 9:38pm: Someone flushes during the interview - it's not someone I'd want - period. Okay, so they've an emergency... they can't just put me on hold?! They can't, at a minimum, refrain from flushing so I don't hear them?!

Count it toward judgment.... If they're going to the bathroom DURING an interview AND flushing DURING an interview... what will they think is okay when on the job?

Ugh... no thanks. You couldn't come up with a strong enough skill/experience match for me to think that is appropriate interview conduct.

Jokes aside - someone to be avoided.
The recruiter needs to learn to identify an issue for what it really is and quickly cut the chord.

Comment by Joshua Letourneau on May 21, 2008 at 9:50pm: Only Monster candidates flush during interviews :)

Comment by Sally Raade on May 21, 2008 at 10:22pm: I would have rescheduled. I don't know how a candidate can be at the top of the game when they have fallen down (being sick or not feeling well)

It's like not dressing for success when your interviewing suit is wrinkled...

Comment by Claudia Faust on May 21, 2008 at 10:24pm: I wondered where everybody was today -- it was WAY too quiet for this group!!! Life is sometimes stranger than fiction, isn't it?

Comment by Sally Raade on May 21, 2008 at 10:31pm: Everyone is getting ready for the long....weekend!

Comment by Cora Player on May 21, 2008 at 11:00pm: Unless she was interviewing for poster child for Beano, I'd end that conversation quickly. How funny, but rude indeed. I've encountered some questionable characters, but that one takes the cake! Thanks for the giggle.

Comment by Joshua Letourneau on May 21, 2008 at 11:24pm: This conversation leads me to a paradoxical question about recruiting! (albeit I must admit a slight veer away from the groupthink du jour) :P --

What background sounds are ok during an interview?

I mean, what about birds, giraffes, and squirrels . . . or loud people having a conversation in the background . . . or a car honking as you sit in traffic on the way home?

Or are background sounds are own subconscious way of once again screening a candidate out on the basis of intuition? (i.e. "Something just didn't sound right - I don't know . . . I think I'll pass.") Most recruiters know that there is not a direct correlation between someone's ability to interview well and their 12-18 mth QOH. What we often see is an inverse relationship!

I mean, call me crazy, but I would NEVER screen a candidate out on a background sound. Now, if they tell me to hold and tell somebody next to them to %$^# off, then I admit this would be crossing the line, however.

Honestly think about how we can sometimes come across like we have a gun and a badge - "Take one wrong step, Mister, and I'll lock your ass up!"

Call me crazy, but I think we have a lot of cajones if we think we are the ultimate judge of talent based upon whether there is or is not a background noise of our liking! I take a great deal of pride in being a great recruiter, but am I on my own with this thought? Perhaps I am, and maybe I'm wrong here, but it certainly begs the question :)

Comment by Cora Player on May 21, 2008 at 11:39pm: Well golly, if I heard giraffes in the background, that's a slam dunk! What do giraffes sound like??? ...I need to catch up on missed Diego episodes.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with having a gas attack. It's just not a great idea to have a LIFE CHANGING conversation while you are having the gas attack. Two questions you need to ask yourself:
1. Does she think I can't hear the the background noise(s)?
2. Does she KNOW I can hear the background noise(s)?

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