The Two-Minute Pep Talk

You’ve got two minutes before your next interview starts. Here is your “pep talk” for making sure you have the best experience and gather the most relevant data possible.

1. Rapport is Key: Fascination and curiosity in the candidate’s story will build a genuine connection that can open up the dialogue and lead to more honest exchanges. Better data, better decisions.

2. Clarity of Purpose: Remember the main objective. You're there to gather data about the candidate's past behavior and achievements because past performance is the best predictor of future success.

3. PROB: Remember to focus on the Past, keep it Relevant, make questions Open-ended, and don’t shy away from the Bad. This isn’t about getting the answers you want to hear; it’s about understanding who the candidate truly is.

4. Active Listening: Engage fully. Don’t just wait for your turn to speak—ensuring that you are actively vocalizing (in addition to smiling and nodding). This helps both rapport as well as your ability to jump in quickly for follow-up questions.

5. Follow-up Questions: Prepare to dig deeper. Your initial question is just the starting point. The real insights come from follow-up questions that explore what the candidate did, how they did it, and how big of a deal it was.

6. Manage Time Wisely: Keep an eye on the clock. Ensure you cover all the necessary ground without rushing or dragging out the interview. Remember, only dig deep on things that are relevant, and be willing to “blame the clock” to manage talkative candidates, when necessary.

7. Stay Present: Keep distractions at bay. Ensure you’re fully present during the interview. This is as much about respect as it is about efficacy.

8. Suspend judgment. There are no “good” or “bad” answers when talking to the candidate—you’re simply ensuring that the candidate is staying on topic and providing relevant information. This approach not only makes for a more pleasant experience for both parties but also leads to a richer understanding of the candidate's potential fit.

9. Data Over Gut: Trust in the process and the data you collect over any gut feelings. You can note any observations or gut impressions in your notes. Of course your intuition can guide you, but you are ultimately optimizing for high quality data collection.

10. Time to Breathe: After the interview, take a moment to clean up your notes and reflect on how it went. What worked? What didn’t? This continuous improvement mindset will make you a better interviewer over time.