Beyond the Resume: 3 Interview Methods for the Perfect Fit
We’re all familiar with the standard interview questions: “Why should we hire you? What are your strengths and weaknesses?” And most of us have stories of either disaster or triumph in how we answered them ourselves. But if you’re looking to hire a medical professional, you may want to delve a little deeper. These three interview methods will help you gain better insight into the authentic person behind the well-prepared answers.
1. Observe Body Language
Studies on nonverbal communication reveal some startling statistics. Up to 93% of what we convey is through non-verbal communication. The tone of voice, gestures, posture, and facial expressions do most of the work. Try to pay active attention to these cues, especially when you’re asking a difficult question. Don’t worry if you don’t have the textbook translation for a sideways glance. Follow your instincts and let the impression sink in. Your intuition will make decisions more apt to be good ones if you follow your gut.
2. Look Beyond the Skill-Set
How is it possible that the most qualified candidate can fail almost immediately after gaining the position? It’s all in the personality. “More new hires fail due to personality-culture mismatch than technical skills mismatch,” says human resources expert Paul Falcone. Keeping your service model and priorities in mind is an important piece of your method for interviews. Ask yourself if the candidate will be an asset to the culture of your practice. Will they get along with the other personality types you’ve hired? If you’re hiring from the ground up, consider grouping candidates in compatibility clusters and eliminate first those who don’t seem to fit in anywhere – even if they have an impressive resume.
3. Ask a Psychological Question
Sure, it may at first seem silly to ask a candidate what kind of animal they’d be. But these somewhat obscure questions can garner more results than the standard firing line of strengths and weaknesses. These questions have an advantage because it’s difficult for candidates to anticipate and rehearse the answers you want to hear. Perhaps the most important aspect of all interview methods, these questions do two things: they take the candidate out of their comfort zone, providing precious information on how prepared they are to face the sometimes tumultuous environment of medical service work. Second, they provide a surprising amount of information about personality with only a small bit of information.
Whether you’re looking for a lion or a lamb, it’s worth rethinking not only what questions you ask, but how you observe the answers. The best interview methods will force your prospect to get real. Trust your instincts to evaluate the way your candidates answer more than the answers themselves and you’ll have more success finding the right person for any position, in any office culture.
Download our Top Ten Psychological Interview Questions