Don't Go Soft During An Interview

Be Hard To Be Good

When you sense that the candidate is afraid of exposing a flaw, you might not want to cause her pain and, therefore, refuse to press her for clear answers.

Or, when she is getting angry because you are pressing her for information, you might panic at the thought of being thought a bad guy and back off.

Look at it this way:

a) Imagine the candidate is a doctor who wants to operate on your child.
Would you have the guts to check her credentials thoroughly then?

b) If you pamper the candidate and present someone with unexamined flaws, what's it going to do for your credibility?

You have a choice. Are you going to take care of the candidate, who is bound to be exposed in the end. Or are you going to take care of you?

It's a 'her or me' situation.

And if you call me brother now,
Forgive me if I inquire,
"Just according to whose plan?"

When it all comes down to dust,
I will kill you if I must,
I will help you if I can.
-- Leonard Cohen, The Story of Isaac

Bobby Merrill has an a la carte menu of interview questions at Good Recruits.

Comments

[Robert Merrill]

CH, I am amazed at how you look at things. Maybe a little off the wall, but you get your point across...

I will note that I've worked hard to develop a reputation of excellence here as I am new to this market. Once in a while, a person has slipped through when something inside me knew it wasn't right--only to have the nightmare come alive in the form of mistrust, more doubt, and a tougher client-relationship.

That relates squarely with question b, above:
Question: "If you pamper the candidate and present someone with unexamined flaws, what's it going to do for your credibility?"

Answer: It will ruin it. Absolutely ruin it.

[Maureen Sharib]

CH:

I suggest there’s another reason we might back off and that’s the fear of failure. The longer we can keep the illusion going, the longer we stave off disappointment.

If that makes any sense at all.

[Canadian Headhunter]

Maureen, I'd agree that this is a factor but with me that comes into play in cold calls.