September 30, 2009
Edited and Written by Ira S. Wolfe
Published by Success Performance Solutions. Major Sponsor,
2008 Best Places to Work In Pennsylvania
What's Inside this issue of The TotalView:
1. Gut Instinct declared guilty at the Inteview
2. Perfect Labor Storm Warnings
3. Interview/Selection Rapid Skills Building
4. eSKill Office Skill Testing
5. Quotes from the Hire Authorities
1. Gut Instinct declared guilty at the interview!
When vetting potential candidates-be they internal or external-can a company ever know exactly what it's getting when making a key hire? Can a top manager or board afford to simply go with their gut over a more objective selection process?
Gut instinct is based on a number of intangible factors but it is significantly influenced by non-verbal cues, often called "body language." A manager gets the "feeling" a candidate is avoiding something because he avoided eye contact. A candidate sits with his arms crossed and the recruiter sees a job seeker holding back something important. When contemplating a difficult question, a candidate begins to fidget in his chair and beads of perspiration well up on his forehead.
But according to some recent research, you can forget what you've learned from years of watching cop shows on television. Liars do not have trouble making eye contact. The guilty don't fidget. Culprits don't sweat more. The innocent do!
As a matter of fact, research indicates that innocent people tend to be more nervous when they are being questioned because they are very intent on proving that they didn't do it. Liars come in with a script in their heads.
In other words, when screening a job candidate, an interviewer must differentiate between the fidgets and nervous voice of an honest person and the smooth, charismatic pitch of a liar. Now really...be honest. How many of us are really that good?
Maybe that's why numerous studies have found the interview as only marginally better than flipping a coin to predict candidates that will transition effectively into top performers.
Today's candidates are sophisticated and trained. Interviewing has gotten so much more difficult. Managers must be able to uncover truths from fiction. With beefed up resumes arriving by the dozens and interview coaching becoming mainstream for candidates, hiring managers and recruiters may mistake the qualified but anxious candidate for a fake and unintentionally extend the job offer to the most deft liar.
Minimize the risk of hiring the wrong candidate. Beef up your selection process with JobClues, Prevue, or ASSESS. Each of these assessments is based on the Five Factor Personality Model, resulting in strong validation and job fit prediction. In addition, each report includes job-specific behavioral interview questions generated in response to the candidate's answers on the assessment. To request a sample report, click on one of the links above or call us at 800-803-4303.
For more information about reducing the risk of hiring the wrong employee, contact us now.
Perfect Labor Storm Warnings 
The labor-force participation rate -- the proportion of working-age people who either have jobs or are actively looking for one -- was 65.5% in August. That was the lowest in 22 years, according to the Labor Department.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
For more workforce and hiring trends. subscribe to the Perfect Labor Storm 2.0 blog.
Purchase the NEW Perfect Labor Storm 2.0 books (soft and hard cover versions) at PerfectLaborStorm.com.
Interviewing/Selection: A Rapid Skills Building eLearning Course
Interviewing/Selection
A Rapid Skills Building eLearning Course
A successful selection interview is not a matter of luck or even effective conversation skills. This Interviewing/Selection Rapid Skill Builder eLearning course looks at what it takes to make the interview process as smooth, useful and as satisfying an experience as possible for both parties.
Learn more about interviewing and selection training tools at our Ready-to-Manage Webstore.
Social Media and Manager Training for the "Wired and Tired"
Attention Meeting Planners, Program Chairs, HR Professionals
Don't miss out on the opportunity to schedule Ira S Wolfe for your next meeting on one of the following hot topics:
Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization
When Boomers and Young Workers Collide
Social Media 101: Link Me, Tweet Me, Nudge Me
Marketing Your Business: Using Facebook
Learn more about these seminars. Contact us today.
Test for Office Skills Accurate & Affordable
eSkill assessments are an effective method of ensuring your candidates have the skills needed for your jobs before an extensive interview process. eSkill's online testing tool creates valid, job-based tests by combining multiple subjects and skill levels as needed into a single assessment.
- Accounting
- Bookkeeping
- Arithmetic
- English and grammar
Click here to learn more
Quotes from Hire Authorities
"The best way to escape from a problem is to solve it."
Alan Saporta
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