Plan interviews ahead. Avoid unwelcome surprises!
Dear e-COACH,
How do you find out what a person is really like during an interview? I'm fine with the work history. It's the personal stuff I get short answers on. What do you ask and how do you get them to tell you more? I was surprised after I hired someone because they seem different than in the interview and they don't fit in.
Dear Surprised,
If you ask "personal stuff" that is not relevant to work performance, then you can expect short answers. Things like marital status, religion, age or sexual orientation should not figure in your decision-making and as such are not appropriate (or legal) to ask.
Here is the trick: Before the interview, list not only what skills are required by candidates, but also what personality traits are necessary to help the person succeed in the position. Then, to get a better sense of what the person is "really like," ask related questions about his/her past behaviours, decisions and attitudes in specific work situations. For example, if you require a customer service person with a high degree of patience, you might ask them to give you examples of past situations in which they had their patience tested. You can then weigh their patience threshold against your need. Use this technique for all the key requirements of the job. Make notes and assess the answers later.
If an individual has listed interests somewhere on their resume, these are fair game to ask about. Also, if their resume includes any personality traits, you can ask about those too. ("I see from your profile that you have excellent interpersonal skills … can you give me an example of a time when you demonstrated that?")
You could also ask at the end of an interview whether there is anything else they would like to tell you about themselves. People are often grateful for the opportunity to leave a final, positive impression.
Remember that a nervous person won't tell you as much, so be friendly and make the interview a conversation not an interrogation. If you are genuinely interested, most people will open up.
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