Disastrous hires can happen when managers are fooled by first impressions. But how can you get beyond the superficial during a brief interview? The key is to focus on behaviors rather than traits.
For example, if the interviewee describes himself as a “team player,” does he credit other people when discussing his work? Look beyond what the candidate is saying and focus on how he is saying it.
Watch for nonverbal cues that signal contempt, superiority and disrespect: eye contact when speaking to another person but not when listening, for example.
Another telling question: Ask the candidate to describe his least preferred co-worker. Listen for whether he reduces the person to a one-word label (e.g., “difficult” or “micromanager”) or reveals a more complex view of the situation (e.g., “we disagreed about how to get the job done because we were trained in different ways”).
Tanya Menon and Leigh Thompson
(Adapted from “How to Hire Without Getting Fooled by First Impressions,” by Tanya Menon and Leigh Thompson)
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