Obtaining Authentic Responses in a Job Interview

‘I SUPPOSE YOU FOUND THAT JOB BORING...?’?

I shifted uneasily in my seat, silently tut, tutting as I heard Rahul (name changed), pose this question to the candidate. We were in a live session of interviewing a candidate. Rahul, my pupil interviewer, was conducting the interview under my charge. He had let it slip, again! He is a rookie interviewer, learning the skills and nuances of conducting Evaluative Interview, he had made the silliest mistake all of us have done, at some point or the other in our roles as Job Interviewers, of posing a direct question to the candidate!!

One of the main tasks of a skilled interviewer is to enable candidates to open-up and tell their entire story. He should be able to obtain relevant information about an applicant, evaluate his suitability in terms of the demands of the specific job and appraise his or her personality, motivation and character.

As an interviewer, it is easy to slip into the habit of asking leading questions or making comments that subtly guide the candidate toward a particular answer. While it might seem like an efficient way to get the response you want, it can often backfire and leave you with a less authentic, more rehearsed answer.

On the art of keeping questions open-ended in an Interview.

For example, let us say, you are interviewing a candidate for a project management role, and you ask:

"You’ve worked on projects before, so I assume you are great at juggling multiple tasks under pressure, right?"

This question might nudge the candidate to say something like, "Yes, absolutely, I thrive under pressure!" even if they don’t !! While that answer might seem satisfactory, it doesn't really give you any insight into their actual approach to handling stress or managing priorities. You have essentially steered the conversation, instead of letting the candidate express their genuine skills Or opinions.

Or consider this:

"Everyone in this field knows how to use software X, don’t they?"

This may push a candidate to agree, even though they might not be as familiar with it as you'd like. The candidate might feel compelled to say “Yes” to fit the mould, instead of admitting that they need to get up to speed with that tool.

So, how can interviewers avoid falling into this trap?

First, it is important to keep your remarks open. An open-ended question is one that does not telegraph an anticipated response, leaving the candidate free to discuss favourable or unfavourable information.

A question such as, "Can you tell me about a time when you had to manage a project with tight deadlines? How did you approach it?” opens the door for the candidate to give a more detailed and genuine answer, allowing you to assess their problem-solving skills and ability to handle pressure in their own way.

There is a wonderful phrase - ‘to what extent?’ that makes any question open ended. So instead of asking a leading question as ‘very successful on the job’, the question can be opened by saying, ‘to what extent were you successful on that job?’ or instead of saying, ‘did you enjoy the experience?’ one might say ‘to what extent did you find their experience satisfying?’

Also, when discussing specific skills or tools, frame your questions more neutrally. Instead of assuming everyone is an expert in a tool, you could say, "Which software tools have you worked with in the past, and how comfortable are you, learning new ones?" This invites the candidate to speak honestly about his experience and learning mindset.

By refraining from leading questions and comments, you create a more open environment for candidates to express their true selves, and in turn, you get a clearer picture of whether they are the right fit for the role. After all, the goal of an interview is not just to hear what you want to hear, but to discover the candidate’s actual strengths and potential. So, let us keep it real, and leave the guessing games behind!

What are your insights on this? Would you like to pen your experiences on it or suggest any other idea?

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