Reliable studies indicate that 22%-25% of all resumes contain misleading information. This includes altered dates, phony former employers, untruthful termination reasons, falsified records, etc. A thorough pre-employment background investigation is essential to independently confirm information that an applicant presents to an employer, and it is also a method to discover information that an applicant has chosen not to reveal. A thorough pre-employment inquiry is the primary defense system that a business has to prevent hiring “trouble!”
Interviews are Essential
In addition to thorough credential verification, a job candidate selection process should also include an effective interviewing process.
Many prior employers refuse to provide anything more than dates of employment out of fear of a lawsuit. An effective interview, therefore, by someone in the organization who is good at judging people, can elicit information which will aid decision-making. It is through questioning and conversation that facts are uncovered. In police work, for instance, a detective who is a trained interrogator often times is able to secure confessions from persons who do not initially intend to admit guilt.
Planning
Planning the interview ahead of time is key. This would include reviewing all application material and any credential verification findings. Learning as much about the candidate as possible in advance helps develop confidence on the part of the interviewer and allows the candidate to be set more at ease. It also allows the interviewer to maintain control of the pace and the subject matter.
Observation
People providing untruthful responses will display certain body reactions which are visible to the trained interviewer.
Begin the interview by shaking hands and introducing oneself. Sit close enough so that your very closeness to the candidate causes a certain amount of uneasiness. The distance should be far enough away, however, so that you can observe his/her movements and actions from head to toe. Do not put a desk or a table in between you and the candidate.
If there is an area in conversation where the candidate becomes uneasy, continue to inquire about that subject. Look for signs of nervousness, sweating, and/or the inability of the candidate to look you in the eye. It is most important that you maintain eye contact throughout the interview in order to determine if this reaction is coincidental or if there is a pattern to it. If the latter, you can anticipate that the candidate may not be providing truthful responses to questions.
Strained foot movements (upward arching) are sometimes maintained when the candidate may become uncomfortable over one or more questions. Other behaviors that sometimes relate to untruthful responses include yawning, giggling, frequent recrossing of legs, audible stomach noises, and evasive answers.
Understanding and Questioning
The ultimate goal of the interview is to formulate an opinion regarding the candidate’s suitability for employment. It is important to remain objective at all times. It is helpful to gain an understanding of someone’s motivation, especially when his or her statements can be independently confirmed. For instance, termination from a prior employment should not be grounds for eliminating the candidate from the selection process.
It is also very important not to run out of questions before the interview is over. Repeat a question if necessary while formulating another one. Sometimes, however, a long period of silence makes the candidate feel as if he/she should fill the gap. In these instances, a candidate can provide more information than he or she intends.
The Importance of Listening
Finally, a good interviewer is an effective listener. One can obtain more accurate and complete information through simple listening. Getting in the habit of allowing the candidate to complete his or her entire answer without injecting the next question is critical.
Police interrogators have long studied how to formulate questions for the purpose of eliciting accurate responses. For instance, how suggestive a question may be can definitely influence a persons responses. Most often, police have found that witnesses who are asked to describe an invent in their own words provide their best understanding, and their thinking is not shaped by a complex question presented by an interviewer. In other words, if you as an interviewer first listen to a full story by a candidate and then follow it up by specific passive questions triggered by careful listening, you should get the most accurate and complete information from the candidate.
What to do
Ask simple questions such as “what happened?” Again, let the candidate completely respond uninterrupted. Ask follow up questions based on missing elements of information provided.
Most people speak at a speed of about 125 words per minute. This is extremely slow compared to what the brain can handle. A poor listener’s thoughts many times drift away into daydreams or outside thoughts. To aid concentration, a listener should use the extra thinking time to think ahead of the talker, formulate ideas on where the talker is headed, and connect that information to what has already been said.
There is a strong tendency to make a quick evaluation without first getting the full meaning. Patient listening should be followed by questions to increase the interviewer’s understanding of the candidate’s background.
The listener’s own actions, i.e. body movements, eye contact, hand gestures, head nodding, facial expression and tone of voice must convey to the candidate an interest in what is being said and an interest in the candidate as a person. Leaning towards the candidate conveys the non-verbal signal that the interviewer is interested, even enthused, about the information being provided.
And Finally
Those interviewers who are good at developing an intuitive sense about a candidate’s suitability are generally persons who have a better understanding of those around them. Every message has two components, content and emotion or attitude. Those interviewers who have the most success at hiring good employees are the ones who possess these important communication skills and have chosen to invest themselves in the interviewing process looking at it as a rewarding experience rather than a study in frustration.
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