What you see during a hiring interview, particularly the first and second interviews, is not necessarily what you’ll get once the person shows up on your doorstep. It’s an easy trap to fall into.
Candidates, particularly good sales candidates, have the ability to adjust their demeanour to suit the situation just as they might during a sales call. A hiring interview is the ultimate sales call and the person doing the selling is the candidate.
Usually by the third or fourth interview, candidates get tired of holding up their façade and will let their guard down. This allows you to more readily see the real person.
I recommend holding the third interview in a social setting in order to help the candidate relax and show his true colors. This is why it’s important for you to be at all interviews so that you can assess any changes that may occur.
Every now and then, what you see is what you’ll get. And if you like what you see, hire it.
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Brian Jeffrey is the creator of the Sales Temperament Assessment. For over 20 years, companies have used this tool to assess thousands of salespeople and make even better hiring decisions. Brian has spent over four decades in sales as a salesperson, sales manager, consultant, sales trainer, professional speaker, and writer. Brian is the author of over 100 articles on sales and sales management. |
