101 Smart Questions to Ask on Your Interview (19 page)

Is the candidate’s posture good? (Chair-slumpers send an unfortunate silent message: “I’m not even trying to make a good impression.” If you hire that person, you may encounter that message on a daily basis.)

Are the candidate’s eyes usually gazing forward rather than darting all over the room?

Is the candidate’s head upright?

Does the candidate tend to sit with crossed arms? (This may signal either a confrontational attitude or a sense of deep insecurity, neither of which is a great sign.)

Does the person appear to be breathing regularly and deeply?

Is the person’s personal hygiene and grooming acceptable? (In other words, would you want to sit next to this person during a long meeting? Ask yourself: If the candidate won’t make an effort to clean up his or her act for a job interview, what will the average workday be like?)

What to Listen For

What
the candidate says is certainly important, but so is
how
he or she says it. Make circumspect written notes if you cannot answer “yes” to all of the following questions during the interview. Three or more such notes during the course of a half-hour interview could indicate a problem with social skills.

Does the candidate respond in a clear, comprehensible, and confident tone of voice?

Does the candidate avoid prolonged pauses in the middle of sentences?

Is the candidate’s speaking rhythm consistent and appropriate?

Does the candidate avoid rambling answers?

Does each of the candidate’s answers have a clear concluding point, or do they all seem to just trail off into nothingness?

Does the candidate avoid interrupting you? (Breaking in while a representative of a prospective future employer is speaking shows poor judgment and underdeveloped people skills.)

Does the candidate take time to consider difficult questions before plunging in to answer them?