If you want the best person for the job, hold a conversation, not an interview

I can't claim to be a consistently perfect judge of candidate/company fit. But I know I'm better than most. It's not that I'm special. And it's not merely because I actually take time to get to know my candidates in person and to understand the context and unstated needs behind the client's resourcing requirement, but because when I meet the person I look them in the eye, engage fully with them, and focus on them, rather than on pushing an agenda.
What really cheeses me though, is when I provide that well-matched candidate and the client interview process involves interviewers who are really not engaged in finding the best candidate. Interviewers who view the meeting as a process rather than an opportunity. Or worse, interviewers who see things through the eyes of their own ego.
When engaging with candidates or clients, I want to work with those who take real ownership of their role. Who invest themselves in delivering the best they can. If not, if I sense they are there essentially to swap their time for money, I'd rather walk away. I'm here to offer the best of myself to the world, and I choose to surround myself - even in the context of my work - with others who feel the same.
It's always disappointing to witness a great candidate with that most important asset - an enthusiastic sense of 'can do' - turned down because the interviewer hasn't engaged properly. Ultimately, it's the company's loss. And the interviewer's, because they've just turned away someone who would probably have made their lives easier in the end.
If you want to avoid becoming a 'wooden' interviewer who could probably be better replaced by AI, consider these questions:

• Am I here to get to know this candidate, or am I really wanting to show how important I am?
• Am I feeling threatened and exposed by the candidate's apparent knowledge?
• Is my mind open to enquiry, or closed by belief, and possibly blocked by my own ego?
• Do I feel confident - or at least courageous or curious - enough to engage this person in a meaningful conversation?
• Am I rushing this meeting or have I made the mental space to give it my full attention?
• Am I willing to ask fair questions that explore synergy and uncover the important stuff like personal insights, strengths, attitude and hidden capabilities, or am I seeking only superficial answers that could have been handled on paper?
• Do I see the interview as a mechanism to find a body to fill a role, or do I recognise that the person we select will become an important member of our team?

These questions, of course, assume that as the interviewer, you feel sufficient engagement with the company to actually WANT to make a difference.
Ultimately, despite all the technology, process and current knowledge, it's people that make the difference. In a world where success is increasingly driven by the quality of people a company can attract, it's time interviewers get over their own egos or insecurities and recognise that creation of a great team begins the moment the interview commences.

Originally published on LinkedIn on 27th May 2019