When it comes to finding a reliable candidate to fill employment positions in your workforce, you want someone who is trustworthy with qualities of integrity you can trust, which is why it is always good if you can pinpoint dishonesty. As a person of leadership who may be responsible for screening candidates, learning how to spot someone who maybe is embellishing the truth is a valuable skill to possess. Here is a quick look at a few tricks you can use to determine if someone is being dishonest during a job interview.
Be alert to abnormal eye contact.
The average person will hold a somewhat steady gaze with another person as they converse with them. However, someone who is trying to be more convincing than usual may stare more intently into the eyes of the person they are speaking to in an effort to convey a sense of authenticity. While it is a common belief that people who are being dishonest will not maintain eye contact, this is not always true. In fact, an individual who is embellishing the truth during a job interview may hold eye contact for so long that it makes you feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Watch out for verbal pauses in conversation.
If you ask someone a question that they know the answer to, they will offer a response quickly because there is no delay between what answer immediately comes to mind and what they say. However, if you ask someone a question and they plan to alter what their answer is because it is dishonest, you will usually catch a verbal delay. This short pause between what you ask and what a job candidate responds can be just enough time for them to get their embellished story straight before they speak.
Take heed to excessive throat-clearing, coughs, or swallowing.
It is perfectly normal for a person to be a bit anxious during a job interview, which means they may indeed swallow or clear their throat a little more than normal. However, this action performed excessively is something you should be alert to as an interviewer because it can also be a sign that your questions are making a candidate anxious and uncomfortable because they are not answering truthfully. Anxiety that comes along with being dishonest to someone face to face can cause the mouth and throat to feel dryer than usual.
To find out more tips about job interviews, reach out to us at Ad-Vance Talent Solutions.