I walked into the conference room to meet a candidate and discuss the potential of future employment. The candidate was professionally dressed and met me with a warm smile, which was different from most candidates that I had interviewed that day. The role to be discussed was a very technical one that required experience, education, and a strong ability to work with and analyze large volumes of data. Just after our initial introduction, unannounced, the candidate launched into an exciting expression of their love for data: “Data is so exciting, so fun, and so interesting. Ever since I was a small child I have always been excited about working with data. I have such a passion for data – data, data, data!” The candidate’s passion for data was so strong that I began to get excited about the fit to the role. I personally had never met a bubbly data person. After about 15 minutes, my colleague walked in and joined the interview. Noticing the candidate’s passion for data, he naturally asked, “So, tell me about your favorite data set?” Wow, you could hear conversations going on several offices away, it was so quiet. After a few moments of silence the candidate politely stated that they had never actually worked on a data set but was sure it would be very interesting.

Tip: Don’t get caught up in emotion, personality, or charm. In this type of role, it was very unique to find a warm personality with such an expressed passion for the job. It appeared that the passion and charm were all the candidate had to offer for this particular role. The job required historical success, experience in a similar role, and proof that data was a passion even after many years of experience.

Caution: Don’t dismiss passion as an indicator. In most cases, the passion often comes from positive experiences and success from accomplishing tasks. Also, be sure you know what tasks, skills, or competencies can be taught. Focus on the things that cannot be taught. This way you lessen the potential of overlooking a good candidate.

What do you want to be when you grow up? This question is often asked of younger kids. I remember when, many years ago, my oldest son proudly presented a little booklet of pictures. These pictures were drawn by each member of his class. The title of the little book was, “What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?” There was the policeman, the singer, and of course, the fireman. The fireman was the most popular among the boys. There was this one little boy who decided to go against the grain. His first choice was to be a “snowman.” That’s right, a snowman! That is funny on so many levels. First of all, we live in Texas where it snows about once every 10 years, so I am not sure he has actually seen a snowman. Second, I have not checked lately, but the pay for a snowman is probably pretty low (although there are probably perks, such as free snow cones). On the good side, I guess it would be considered seasonal work with lots of vacation time! After a good laugh, I discovered that I learned a lot about the kid by that little exercise and that one picture.

Tip: It may surprise you, but asking a candidate “what they want to be when they grow up” offers a great chance to learn more about their career desires and aspirations. This simple question (modified) can be a great conversation starter to provide you with insights into the current and future fit of the candidate to the job. What are they looking for in a job? Is this a short-term job or a long-term career? What are their interests and goals?

Caution:   Make sure the question does not come across as silly and non-productive. Instead, work to loosen the candidate up a bit and get them to share. Your motivation for the question should be to gain a deeper understanding of the candidate. It is a vehicle for discussion around their historical vocational choices, current passions, and future aspirations. Learn as much as you can about the candidate. What did you want to be when you were younger?

P.S. - My youngest daughter drew the snowman just for you.

There is a great article in the Wall Street Journal this week. The article discusses the bookstore giant – Barnes and Noble. I think it is safe to say that most of us, at one time or another, have spent time wandering through the seemingly endless rows of books sipping on a favorite Starbuck’s treat until eventually settling into one of those comfy chairs. At its peak, the retail giant was known as the trend setter in the book industry. Come to think of it, I wondered if that Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan movie “You’ve Got Mail” was based on the Barnes and Noble business model.

Anyway, the article is a discussion about the sale of the once mighty book giant. The business reason for the sale of the company is the dropping value of the stock price. Can you guess the reason for the drop in stock price? You got it! Not embracing technology and the internet as quickly as the competition did. Basically, the once king Barnes & Noble has now been passed by companies like Amazon.com and others who look to sell books faster, cheaper, and through multiple formats. To investors, this article is just another investor tip. But to me there is a bigger takeaway. Keeping up with technology is a key to the future growth and survival of even the most established organizations.

Online technology is currently playing a similar role in separating the competition when it comes to selecting and keeping talent. In recent years, there have been huge advances to help companies leverage online technology to predict performance and select people who produce more and stay on the job longer. Seek out technologies that have proven to decrease turnover and increase performance while leveraging technology to collect as much data from candidates and employees as efficiently as possible.  

I remember sitting in my desk at school while staring intently at the standard-issue clock on the wall. The red minute hand seemed to be crawling around the dial. While my brain was still mesmerized by the clock, I heard a very stern voice call my name, not once, but twice. Before I could come out of my mid-day preoccupation with that red minute hand, I heard someone shout my first AND last name. Dragged back to reality, I found myself the target of my classmates’ stares while I failed to respond to the teacher's question, which I obviously was not paying attention to.

If you are not careful, your focus can quickly dwindle during an interview as mine did that day at school. This can occur especially when you find yourself packing in interviews for days on end. It is important to remain focused and ensure that you do not miss that perfect fit for the job. Here are a couple of tips that I find helpful to keep my focus:

• Story behind the story - People are really interesting. By focusing your mind on learning more about the person’s story, you will find the interview much more interesting. The story then helps to replace the methodical and boring items by painting a more interesting and accurate picture of the person. This, of course, will provide you with better insight into their fit to the job.
• Create a dialogue – Interact with them through conversational engagement. Try not to ask a question and listen to them ramble for 30 minutes. Set the interview up as a “back and forth” dialogue.
• Redirect if needed – Don’t be shy about confirming that the information they have shared is interesting, but what you really would like to talk about is… This also keeps you engaged.
• Encourage the use of props – Utilize resources such as white boards, drawings on a piece of paper, pictures, portfolios, etc. By interacting with other objects, you will be able to engage your brain in some interesting content.
• Bring a beverage – No, NOT that type of a beverage! (I am sure your employer would not appreciate that). I mean a cup of water or your favorite soft drink. This small distraction is acceptable in an interview; but more importantly, the beverage will allow you to move your eyes around comfortably and politely. That way you don’t lapse into the old, “I am looking at you but not paying attention” gaze.
• Take notes – I do it all the time. It is easy to forget specific pieces of information. Even worse, without my notes, I may start confusing candidates. Notes help keep all that straight. My favorite note pad is always in my hands, along with a hard copy of their resume. That way I have all I need at my fingertips.

Caution – Be sure that the techniques you deploy are not distracting to the candidate. As a candidate, I would hate to hear loud slurping coming from the straw in your empty soft drink cup. Additionally, take notes on only the job-relevant pieces of information.

Over the years, I have heard many stories of unique interview techniques. I once heard of someone who placed a single chair in front of their desk and literally cut the front legs shorter than the back legs. Of course, the candidate found themselves sliding forward and sometimes falling off the chair. This strange interviewing technique was all in the name of seeing how people handle adverse situations. The method is comical, and I can’t say I would be comfortable going to those lengths, but the idea is valuable. You can learn a lot about a candidate when they are under pressure. Rehearsed answers are often evoked when an interview is very methodical and predictable. Applying pressure in a professional and appropriate manner during an interview can be an effective tool in truly understanding a candidate at a deeper level. Pressure gives you quick insight into items such as: focus, patience, professionalism, clarity, ability to effectively communicate, and many other important attributes that may be necessary in the role.

Interviewing tip: Use different question techniques such as direct or rapid fire (or both) to create pressure during the interview. Specifically, press the candidate on details of their responses. Make them clarify and follow-up on each and every loose end. Do not allow them to make statements that are dangling or do not make sense. Force them to fully describe, discuss and produce evidence to support their thought or idea. Another way to apply pressure in an interview is to revisit conflicting statements made during the interview. Ask them to clarify and support their current response over the prior response.

Caution: 1) Don’t start the interview by putting them under pressure. You want to relax them and create an open and comfortable dialogue. Likewise, don’t end with them being under pressure. In my experience the middle is always the best. 2) If they struggle a bit, avoid stepping in and answering the question for them. The idea is to let a bit of pressure build so you can observe their response to the situation. 3) Be sure that the pressure is applied in a professional manner. Avoid coming across as badgering, rude, or just downright mean. Having a good, tough and thorough interview is the objective, but you want to leave the candidate (whether you hire them or not) with a positive view of your organization.