5 (NOT so Obvious) Things Interviewers Should NOT Do

Behavior based interviewing training folks spend a lot of time coaching interviewers on what they should do when speaking with job candidates. Their training programs focus on the positive ways to hire the best fit for the position by accurately predicting on-the-job behavior. But they also look at the other side…how interviewers sabotage their own efforts to find the right hire.

In addition to yelling…Here are the 5 things (that we still see far too frequently) that interviewers should NOT do:

1. Count on a quick gut reaction to a resume or interviewee. These are rarely sound indications of a candidate’s actual fitness for the job.
2. Include requirements in a job description that are not actually needed for the job. This is not only misleading…it is illegal.
3. Assume that there are not enough qualified candidates. Not true. It is your responsibility as a talent leader to find them.
4. Paint a false picture of the organization’s culture. Honesty is the best policy.  You want applicants who fit the current culture, not the aspired culture listed on your website that does not represent reality.
5. Use generic job descriptions. Start from scratch to describe the current opening in specific behavioral terms. To select top talent you must be clear on the essential functions of the position, the experience required, the cultural context in which the job will be performed and the critical behavioral competencies required to succeed.