Interview Tip: Listen Twice, Speak Once

Animals aren’t very chatty. They can’t tell you exactly what they’re thinking or feeling.

Luckily, humans can.

Use that to your advantage when interviewing potential candidates for your practice.

You don’t have as much practice discerning things about humans, so you might be tempted to put a lot of thought into the interview questions. 

You’re trying to ask the “hard-hitting” questions that will cause the unprepared candidate to stumble so that you can quickly cross them off the list.

You do, of course, need to prepare for your interviews. 

But you can make your job and the interview process easier by remembering this tip: 

Be silent.

Silence on your part gives the candidate time to think.

The candidate will have a chance to provide well-thought-out answers that are truly representative of their character and experience.

As the candidates give you their answers, listen carefully. 

Don’t rush into the next question or get caught up in figuring out follow-up questions. 

Being silent will help you get a stronger read on whether or not they are the right fit for your practice.

If you need somewhere to start, use my 9 questions for thorough interviews.