How Candidates Make Decisions and Why It Matters More Than Experience

By Patty Crabtree, CEO Lighthouse Consulting Partners

 

When organizations evaluate candidates, they often focus heavily on experience. How many years have they been in the industry? What positions have they held? What accomplishments are listed on their resume?

Experience certainly matters. Past experiences provide opportunities to develop skills, knowledge, and expertise. However, experience alone does not tell the full story.

Two candidates can have remarkably similar backgrounds yet perform very differently once hired.

Why? Because experience tells you what someone has done. Decision-making reveals how they think. And how someone thinks often has a greater impact on long-term success than the experiences listed on their resume.

Every Job Is a Series of Decisions

Whether someone is leading a company, managing a team, serving customers, or working independently, much of their day is spent making decisions.

Some decisions are small:

  • How to prioritize tasks
  • How to respond to an email
  • How to address a customer concern

Others carry greater significance:

  • Hiring decisions
  • Budget choices
  • Strategic initiatives
  • Personnel issues

The quality of those decisions influences productivity, relationships, performance, and outcomes. This is why understanding a candidate’s decision-making style can provide valuable insight into how they are likely to operate once they join your organization.

Fast vs. Deliberate Decision Makers

One of the most common differences among people is the speed at which they make decisions.

Some individuals are naturally fast decision makers. They prefer to gather enough information to move forward and adjust as needed along the way. They tend to be action-oriented and comfortable with uncertainty. In rapidly changing environments, this style can be a tremendous asset.

Others are more deliberate. They prefer to collect information, evaluate options, and carefully consider potential outcomes before acting. Their decisions are often thoughtful and well-researched, particularly when the stakes are high.

Neither style is inherently better. The effectiveness of a decision-making style depends heavily on the role and environment.

For example, a fast-moving sales environment may benefit from individuals who can make decisions quickly and adapt as conditions change. Conversely, roles involving compliance, financial oversight, quality control, or risk management may benefit from individuals who naturally slow down and consider details before acting.

The goal is not to determine whether a candidate is right or wrong. The goal is to understand how they naturally approach decisions and whether that approach aligns with the demands of the position.

Risk Tolerance Shapes Decisions

Another important factor is risk tolerance. Some people are comfortable taking calculated risks. They may be willing to try new approaches, challenge conventional thinking, or move forward without having every piece of information. Others prefer greater certainty. They are more likely to evaluate potential consequences, seek additional input, and minimize exposure before committing to a course of action.

Again, neither approach is inherently good or bad. Organizations need both perspectives. Innovation often requires people willing to take calculated risks. Stability often depends on individuals who carefully evaluate potential consequences.

The challenge for hiring managers is understanding where a candidate falls on that spectrum and whether it fits the role they are expected to perform.

A highly risk-tolerant individual may thrive in an entrepreneurial environment but become frustrated in a highly regulated organization. Likewise, a highly cautious individual may excel in a structured environment but struggle in a role that requires rapid experimentation and adaptation.

Understanding risk tolerance helps predict how someone will approach uncertainty, ambiguity, and change.

Experience Doesn’t Explain Judgment

One of the biggest hiring mistakes organizations make is assuming experience automatically equals good judgment.

Experience provides exposure. Judgment determines how someone uses that experience.

Consider two managers with identical backgrounds. Both have led teams for ten years. Both have achieved similar results. Both interview well. Yet one consistently builds trust, develops employees, and makes thoughtful decisions under pressure. The other struggles with conflict, reacts impulsively, and creates unnecessary turnover.

The difference is not experience. The difference is how they think. Judgment, self-awareness, and decision-making style often influence success more than years of experience alone.

Questions That Reveal Thinking Processes

Most interview questions focus on outcomes.

  • Tell me about a successful project.
  • Describe a challenge you overcame.
  • What accomplishment are you most proud of?

These questions often produce polished stories. To understand decision-making, interviewers need to explore the thinking behind those stories.

Instead of focusing only on what happened, ask questions that reveal how decisions were made.

Examples include:

  • What options were you considering at the time?
  • What factors influenced your decision?
  • What risks did you evaluate before moving forward?
  • What information did you wish you had?
  • Who did you involve in the decision-making process?
  • What made the decision difficult?

Looking back, would you make the same decision again?

These questions move candidates beyond prepared answers and into their actual thought process. That is often where the most valuable insight resides.

Listen for Patterns, Not Perfect Answers

Many interviewers evaluate decision-making based on whether they agree with the candidate’s choice.

A more effective approach is to evaluate the process.

  • Did the candidate gather relevant information?
  • Did they consider multiple perspectives?
  • Were they aware of potential risks?
  • Did they take ownership of the outcome?
  • Can they explain their reasoning clearly?

Strong decision-makers may arrive at different conclusions. What matters is whether there is a thoughtful and consistent process behind those conclusions.

As candidates share multiple examples, patterns begin to emerge.

  • Some consistently seek collaboration before acting.
  • Others rely primarily on independent judgment.
  • Some move quickly and adjust along the way.
  • Others spend more time evaluating before committing.

These patterns often provide more predictive value than any single answer.

How People Prioritize Matters Too

Decision-making and prioritization are closely connected. Every day, employees must determine:

  • What deserves immediate attention
  • What can wait
  • What resources should be allocated
  • Which opportunities should be pursued

Interviewers can gain valuable insight by asking:

  • How do you decide what gets your attention first?
  • Tell me about a time competing priorities forced you to make difficult choices.
  • How do you determine what is urgent versus important?

The answers often reveal how candidates balance competing demands, manage pressure, and allocate resources.

Looking Beyond the Resume

Resumes tell us where someone has been. Interviews should help us understand how they think.

When organizations focus exclusively on experience, they risk overlooking one of the most important predictors of future success: decision-making. The ability to assess information, evaluate risk, prioritize effectively, and exercise sound judgment influences performance in virtually every role.

Experience may open the door to opportunity. Decision-making often determines what happens once someone walks through it. The next time you interview a candidate, spend less time exploring what they accomplished and more time understanding how they made the decisions that led to those accomplishments.

Because how people think is often more predictive than what they have done.

Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC

Testing Division provides a variety of services, including an In-depth Work Style Personality assessment for new hires, staff development, career guidance and team building. Our assessment  is available in 19 different languages. In addition, we offer skills testing and 360 assessments.

Business Consulting for Higher Productivity Division provides leadership and management coaching, a variety of workshops including team building, communication styles, stress management, leadership training, staff planning, operations, and much more.

For more information on our services, please go to www.LighthouseConsulting.com or contact us at Info@LighthouseConsulting.com.

Permission is needed from Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC to reproduce any portion provided in this article. © 2026

How Candidates Operate Under Pressure

By Patty Crabtree

Most interviews happen in controlled environments. The candidate has prepared. The questions are expected. The stakes are high but the environment itself is relatively safe. People are usually on their best behavior, carefully choosing their words and presenting the strongest version of themselves.

But most jobs do not operate under ideal conditions. Deadlines shift. Priorities compete. Conflict emerges. Customers become frustrated. Teams experience stress. Decisions must be made with incomplete information.

That is why one of the most important things to understand during the hiring process is not simply how a candidate performs when things are going well but how they operate under pressure.

Pressure has a way of revealing patterns that are difficult to see otherwise.

 

Pressure Changes Behavior

Everyone experiences stress differently. Some people become more decisive. Others become cautious. Some become highly controlling. Others withdraw or avoid difficult conversations altogether.

These shifts are not necessarily good or bad. The important question is whether the candidate:

  • Understands how pressure affects them
  • Can recognize their stress patterns
  • Has developed productive ways to manage those patterns

The challenge is that many interviews never reach this level of insight because the questions stay focused on accomplishments rather than behavior under strain.

Candidates are often asked:

  • “What are your strengths?”
  • “Tell me about a success you are proud of.”
  • “Describe a project that went well.”

These questions usually produce polished answers. Pressure-based questions, however, tend to reveal something different:

  • How someone thinks when conditions are unclear
  • How they respond emotionally when challenged
  • How they interact with others when stress increases
  • Whether their behavior becomes more rigid or more adaptable

 

Why Pressure Matters So Much

Most workplace problems are not caused by someone’s best-day behavior. They are caused by how people operate on difficult days.

A highly collaborative person may become controlling under stress.
A calm communicator may become avoidant.
A confident leader may become reactive or defensive.

Pressure amplifies tendencies. That is why understanding stress behavior is often more predictive than understanding normal behavior alone.

When leaders say:

  • “That’s not how they interviewed.”
  • “We didn’t see this side of them.”
  • “Everything changed once the pressure increased.”

What they are often describing is behavior that only emerged once stress entered the environment.

Listening Beyond the Success Story

One of the best ways to understand how someone operates under pressure is to move beyond the success story and explore the difficult parts of an experience.

For example, instead of stopping at: “Tell me about a successful project.” Follow with:

  • What part of that situation was most stressful for you?
  • What started to become difficult as pressure increased?
  • How did your communication change during that time?
  • What feedback did you receive from others?
  • What did you learn about yourself from that experience?

These questions shift the conversation from performance into self-awareness. And self-awareness is one of the strongest indicators of adaptability under pressure.

 

Stress Signals During the Interview

Sometimes stress patterns show up during the interview itself. Not because the candidate is failing but because follow-up questions move them beyond prepared answers and into real-time thinking.

As conversations deepen, you may notice:

  • Hesitation or sudden changes in pace
  • Increased defensiveness
  • Overexplaining or justifying decisions
  • Difficulty staying consistent across examples
  • Shifts in tone or body language

These moments are not automatic red flags. They are information. The goal is not to make candidates uncomfortable. The goal is to understand how they process uncertainty, challenge and pressure when they no longer have a fully rehearsed response.

 

Pay Attention to Their Thinking Process

One of the most revealing aspects of pressure is how someone makes decisions when there is no perfect answer.

For example:

  • Do they slow down and gather information?
  • Do they become impulsive?
  • Do they seek collaboration or take control?
  • Do they avoid difficult decisions until pressure escalates further?

The outcome of the situation matters but the thinking process behind the outcome often matters more. A candidate may describe a situation that ended successfully but if their process involved poor communication, reactive decision-making or damaged relationships, those patterns are important to understand.

This is why thoughtful follow-up questions matter so much.

 

Listen for Accountability

Pressure also reveals how people explain responsibility. When discussing difficult situations, listen carefully for:

  • Ownership of mistakes
  • Awareness of impact on others
  • Willingness to reflect honestly
  • Ability to learn and adapt

Some candidates describe stressful situations entirely through external factors:

  • difficult coworkers
  • unclear expectations
  • organizational problems
  • unreasonable clients

While those things may absolutely be true, it is important to understand: “What role did they believe they played in the situation?”

People who can thoughtfully reflect on their own contribution to challenges often demonstrate greater emotional maturity and growth potential.

 

Growth Mindset vs. Protection Mindset

Pressure tends to push people toward one of two directions. Some people become highly focused on learning:

  • What could I improve?
  • What would I do differently?
  • What did this teach me?

Others become more focused on protecting themselves:

  • defending decisions
  • minimizing mistakes
  • shifting blame
  • justifying behavior

Neither response happens consciously all the time. Stress naturally activates self-protection. But candidates who can stay reflective under pressure often demonstrate stronger adaptability, resilience and leadership potential.

 

Slowing the Conversation Down

One of the simplest ways to better understand pressure behavior is to slow the interview down. Most interviews move quickly from question to question. But meaningful insight often appears when interviewers stay with a difficult situation a little longer.

Instead of asking another question immediately, pause and explore:

  • What made that hard?
  • What were you worried about at the time?
  • How did others respond?
  • What was the hardest decision you had to make?

As candidates think through these moments more carefully, their natural tendencies often become clearer.

 

Final Thoughts

Everyone behaves differently under pressure. The goal is not to find candidates who never experience stress, frustration or difficulty. The goal is to understand:

  • how pressure affects them
  • how aware they are of those patterns
  • and how they manage themselves when conditions become challenging

Because ultimately, organizations do not only experience people at their best. They experience them under deadlines, uncertainty, conflict, and strain. And how someone operates in those moments often tells you far more than how they perform in a polished interview.

Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC

Testing Division provides a variety of services, including an In-depth Work Style Personality assessment for new hires, staff development, career guidance and team building. Our assessment  is available in 19 different languages. In addition, we offer skills testing and 360 assessments.

Business Consulting for Higher Productivity Division provides leadership and management coaching, a variety of workshops including team building, communication styles, stress management, leadership training, staff planning, operations, and much more.

For more information on our services, please go to www.LighthouseConsulting.com or contact us at Info@LighthouseConsulting.com.

Permission is needed from Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC to reproduce any portion provided in this article. © 2026

When Interviewing Listen for Patterns, Not Stories

By Patty Crabtree, CEO Lighthouse Consulting Partners LLC

 

Interviews are full of stories.

Candidates describe projects they led, challenges they overcame and successes they are proud of. Many of these stories are compelling, well-structured and easy to follow. They create a sense of confidence in the candidate and momentum in the conversation. But strong stories can be misleading. Not because they are untrue but because a single story is not a pattern.

When interviewers rely too heavily on individual examples, they risk making decisions based on moments rather than behaviors. And moments, especially in interviews, are often polished, practiced and selectively chosen.

If interviews are meant to predict how someone will perform over time then the goal is not to collect great stories. The goal is to recognize patterns.

Why Stories Are So Persuasive

Stories work because they are easy to process. They have a beginning, middle and end. They highlight action and resolution. They often showcase the candidate in a positive light. And when delivered confidently, they create a strong emotional impression.

Interviewers naturally respond to this process. A strong story can make a candidate seem capable, collaborative or decisive even if the story represents a one-time situation rather than a consistent way of operating. The challenge is that interviews tend to reward storytelling ability.

Candidates who are articulate, reflective and prepared often stand out not necessarily because they operate more effectively but because they communicate their experiences more convincingly. This is where interviewers must shift their focus.

The Difference Between a Story and a Pattern

A story answers the question: What happened? A pattern answers the question: How does this person consistently operate? What do they do? For example, a candidate might share a story about successfully resolving a conflict. That is helpful but it does not tell you whether that approach is typical.

To identify a pattern, you need to understand:

  • Does this behavior show up across multiple situations?
  • Does their decision-making process remain consistent?
  • How do they respond when conditions are less favorable?
  • Do their examples reinforce each other or contradict each other?

Patterns are built through repetition and consistency. They are less about the outcome of a single event and more about the approach behind the outcome.

Why Interviewers Miss Patterns

Most interviewers are not trained to listen for patterns. Instead, they are trained or conditioned to ask a series of questions, gather examples and move through the interview efficiently.

There are a few reasons patterns get missed:

  1. Moving too quickly – When interviews prioritize covering many topics, there is little time to explore any one example in depth.
  2. Being satisfied with a strong answer – A well-delivered story creates a sense of closure. It feels like enough.
  3. Focusing on outcomes over process – Interviewers often listen for success rather than how that success was achieved.
  4. Not connecting examples together – Each answer is treated as a separate data point rather than part of a larger pattern.

As a result, interviews become a collection of stories rather than an understanding of behavior.

Teaching Yourself to Listen Differently

Listening for patterns is a skill and like any skill, it can be developed with intention. It begins with a simple shift: listen for how, not just what. Instead of focusing on the outcome of a story, pay attention to the approach behind it.

When a candidate describes a situation, listen for:

  • How they made decisions?
  • How they involved others?
  • How they handled uncertainty or pressure?
  • How they responded to feedback?
  • How they adjusted when things did not go as planned?

Then as the interview continues, listen for whether those same approaches appear again.

Using Follow-Up Questions to Build Patterns

Patterns do not reveal themselves in a single answer. They emerge over time often through thoughtful follow-up questions.

When a candidate shares an example, stay with it long enough to understand the details:

  • What options did you consider?
  • What made that situation challenging for you?
  • How did others respond to your approach?
  • What did you learn from that experience?

Then, in a later question, listen for similar signals:

  • Does their decision-making process sound familiar?
  • Do they approach challenges in the same way?
  • Are they consistent in how they describe working with others?

You begin to hear a pattern forming. Or, in some cases, you begin to notice inconsistencies. Both are valuable.

When Stories and Patterns Don’t Match

One of the most useful moments in an interview is when a strong story does not align with the broader pattern.

For example, a candidate may describe a highly collaborative situation in one answer but in another example, their approach may sound more independent or directive.

This does not automatically mean something is wrong. But it does signal an opportunity to explore further:

  • Which approach is more typical?
  • What factors influenced the different approaches?
  • How do they adapt their style across situations?

These moments help you understand flexibility, self-awareness and consistency all critical to predicting performance.

Listening for What Repeats

A helpful way to think about pattern recognition is this: What keeps showing up?

Across different questions and examples, certain themes tend to repeat:

  • A consistent way of making decisions
  • A predictable approach to handling conflict
  • A common response to stress or pressure
  • A pattern in how they engage with others

These repeated signals are far more predictive than any single example. They give you a clearer sense of what it will be like to work with this person not just what they are capable of describing.

The Interviewer’s Role

Shifting from story-based interviewing to pattern-based listening changes the role of the interviewer. Instead of simply guiding the conversation, the interviewer becomes an active observer of behavior.

This means:

  • Staying present in the conversation
  • Connecting responses across different questions
  • Being curious about inconsistencies
  • Resisting the urge to move on too quickly

It also means accepting that great interviews are not always the smoothest ones. Sometimes the most valuable interviews include pauses, follow-up questions and moments where the candidate has to think more deeply about their response. That is where real insight often lives.

Final Thoughts

Stories are useful. They provide context, examples and insight into past experiences. But stories alone are not enough.

If the goal of an interview is to predict future performance, then the focus must shift from individual moments to consistent patterns. When interviewers learn to listen for patterns not just stories, they begin to see beyond polished narratives and into how someone actually thinks, behaves and operates over time. And that is what leads to better hiring decisions.

Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC

Testing Division provides a variety of services, including an In-depth Work Style Personality assessment for new hires, staff development, career guidance and team building. Our assessment is available in 19 different languages. In addition, we offer skills testing and 360 assessments.

Business Consulting for Higher Productivity Division provides leadership and management coaching, a variety of workshops including team building, communication styles and stress management, leadership training, staff planning, operations and much more.

For more information on our services, please go to www.LighthouseConsulting.com or contact us at Info@LighthouseConsulting.com.

Permission is needed from Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC to reproduce any portion provided in this article. © 2026

Interviewing Beyond the Surface

By Patty Crabtree, CEO of Lighthouse Consulting Partners LLC

Interviews often move quickly. A question is asked. The candidate gives a thoughtful answer. The interviewer nods, feels satisfied, and moves on to the next topic. The conversation continues this way until time runs out and everyone leaves feeling like they learned a lot.

But in reality, many interviews only scratch the surface. The first answer a candidate gives is often the most prepared version of the story. It is polished, organized, and designed to highlight success. That does not mean it is inaccurate but it rarely tells the whole story.

In interviewing, the next question often begins to open the door to the truth. The follow-up question moves candidates beyond their prepared responses and into real-time thinking. That is when you begin to hear how someone actually approaches challenges, makes decisions, and interacts with others. And sometimes it takes more than one follow-up question to fully understand what really happened.

 

The Surface Answer

Most candidates arrive at interviews with several examples ready to share. They have likely practiced describing situations where they solved problems, collaborated with a team or delivered strong results. These stories are often well structured. They follow a familiar pattern: the situation, the action taken and the positive outcome.

For example, if you ask: “Tell me about a time you resolved a conflict on your team.”

A candidate might respond with a clear and polished story about bringing people together, communicating openly and reaching a successful resolution. At this stage, the answer sounds strong. The candidate demonstrates collaboration, communication and leadership.

And this is where many interviews move on. But if the interviewer stops there, they only hear the version of the story that has been prepared and practiced.

Opening the Door with Follow-Up Questions

The follow-up question is where the conversation starts to shift. Instead of moving on, the interviewer stays with the same example and explores it more deeply.

For instance:

  • What specific actions did you take that brought the team together?
  • How did the other person initially respond to your approach?
  • What part of that situation was most challenging for you?
  • What feedback did you receive afterward?

These questions invite candidates to move beyond the summary and begin explaining the experience in greater detail. Often the tone of the conversation changes at this point. Candidates pause longer. They think before answering. They provide additional context or nuance that was not part of the original story.

This is where insight begins to emerge. And sometimes the next question is only the beginning. It may take several follow-up questions before the full picture becomes clear.

Why Interviewers Stop Too Early

If follow-up questions are so valuable, why do interviewers often move on?

There are a few common reasons.

  • First, interviews are time limited. Interviewers want to cover many topics within a short conversation so they prioritize breadth over depth. Sometimes diving into a few strong questions will provide more insight than asking questions on multiple topics.
  • Second, strong answers feel reassuring. When a candidate provides a compelling example, interviewers feel confident they have learned what they needed to know. In essence, they may hear what they want to hear instead of exploring more deeply.
  • Third, moving on feels polite. Some interviewers worry that probing too deeply may feel uncomfortable or confrontational. Interviews are meant to be insightful. While asking deeper questions may be uncomfortable, it can provide the information needed to make an informed decision.

But depth not coverage is what reveals patterns. Hearing ten surface-level stories tells you far less than deeply understanding two or three.

 

What Follow-Up Questions Reveal

When interviewers stay with an example longer, several important signals emerge.

  • Decision-making patterns. How did the candidate decide what to do? What options did they consider? Did they seek input from others?
  • Personal challenges. What part of the situation stretched them or made them uncomfortable?
  • Impact on others. How did colleagues experience the situation? Did the candidate adapt their approach based on feedback?
  • Learning and adjustment. What did the candidate take away from the experience? Did it change how they work today?

These insights rarely appear in the first answer. They emerge gradually as the interviewer asks additional questions and the candidate reflects more deeply on what actually happened.

Slowing the Interview Down

One of the most effective interview techniques is simply slowing the conversation down. Instead of asking the next question immediately, pause and listen for something worth exploring.

A word.
A phrase.
A decision.
A moment in the story that raises curiosity.

Then ask another question. And another after that.

For example:

       “You mentioned that the team initially resisted your approach. What did that resistance look like?”

or

      “You said the project ultimately succeeded. What part of that process was most difficult for you personally?”

Each additional question brings the conversation a little closer to how the candidate truly operates.

 

Listening for Patterns, Not Stories

Stories are helpful, but they are not the goal. The real goal of an interview is to understand patterns.

  • How someone consistently approaches problems.
  • How they communicate under pressure.
  • How they respond to feedback or disagreement.

Patterns only become visible when the interviewer looks beyond the first answer. When candidates describe multiple examples in detail, similarities begin to appear. Their thinking process becomes clearer. Their approach to challenges becomes more predictable.

Without follow-up questions, those patterns remain hidden behind polished summaries.

 

The Interviewer’s Role

A helpful way to think about interviewing is this:

Your role is not simply to ask questions. Your role is to investigate with curiosity.

When something sounds interesting, unclear, or important, stay with it. Ask another question. Invite the candidate to explain their thinking more fully. Most candidates actually welcome this deeper conversation. It gives them the opportunity to move beyond rehearsed answers and share how they truly work. 

 

The Next Question

The first question opens the conversation. The next question often opens the door to the truth. And sometimes it takes a few more questions before the full picture comes into view.

Great interviews are not defined by how many questions are asked. They are defined by how thoughtfully the interviewer explores the answers.

Because in hiring conversations, the truth rarely lives in the first answer. It emerges through curiosity and thoughtful follow-up.

If you are interested in learning more about how to incorporate follow up questions into your interview process, please contact us at Info@LighthouseConsulting.com.

 

Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC

Testing Division provides a variety of services, including an In-depth Work Style Personality assessment for new hires, staff development, career guidance and team building. Our assessment  is available in 19 different languages. In addition, we offer skills testing and 360 assessments.

Business Consulting for Higher Productivity Division provides leadership and management coaching, a variety of workshops including team building, communication styles, stress management, leadership training, staff planning, operations, and much more.

For more information on our services, please go to www.LighthouseConsulting.com or contact us at Info@LighthouseConsulting.com.

Permission is needed from Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC to reproduce any portion provided in this article. © 2026

Impression Management: When Candidates Provide the Answer They Think You Want

By Patty Crabtree, CEO Lighthouse Consulting Partners LLC

Interviews can feel surprisingly reassuring. The candidate communicates well, answers confidently, and seems to say all the right things. Everyone leaves thinking, That went great, I really like them. But sometimes, months later, the hire does not perform quite the way the interview may have suggested.

A big reason for this is something called impression management — and it is a instinctual response.

Impression Management Is Human

Impression management simply means trying to present ourselves in a positive, more socially desirable way. Every person experiences it whether consciously or subconsciously. We are social, community‑based beings, and acceptance has always been tied to safety, belonging, and opportunity. So naturally, when we are being evaluated — especially in an interview — we want to present our best side.

That might mean highlighting successes, smoothing over challenges, or choosing examples that align with what we think the interviewer wants. None of this is dishonest. It is human.

Where it becomes tricky is when impression management runs higher than average. At that point, answers can shift depending on the audience, expectations, or perceived culture. I often call this the “wildcard” factor in cultural and behavioral fit. It is not negative — in fact, it can signal social awareness — but it does mean responses need validation to understand how someone will actually operate day to day not just what they want you to believe.

High vs. Low Impression Management

People vary widely in how much they manage impressions.

Some candidates are naturally polished. They speak smoothly, mirror the interviewer’s language, pick up on the interviewer’s cues, and tell well‑structured success stories. These conversations usually feel easy and positive.

Others are more straightforward or less practiced at self‑promotion. They may pause before answering, share messy details, or speak more plainly about challenges. These interviews sometimes feel less dynamic, even when the candidate is highly capable.

The risk is that interviews often reward polish instead of predictability. The person who interviews best is not always the person who performs best.

When “Great Communication” Hides Risk

Strong communicators often make great impressions, but communication style alone does not tell you how someone works under pressure, handles conflict, or responds to feedback.

Here are a few common things to watch for:

  • Vague positivity. Statements like “everything aligned” or “it worked out well” sound good but lack detail. Diving in deeper to understand “how did it work out” and “what role did you take in that outcome” can provide more clarity.
  • Quickly reframed setbacks. Mistakes are mentioned briefly or side stepped, then immediately directed in a new direction. If you don’t hear a story their direct mistake, bring them back to the question and request a story of a personal failure.
  • Challenges always outside the person. Problems consistently attributed to others, unclear expectations, or circumstances. Finger pointing during an interview can be a strong indicator of how the person will show up in your work environment.
  • Confidence without specifics. Strong presence but limited explanation of actual thinking or tradeoffs. Asking follow up questions about more specifics of their story can highlight the validity of their actions.

None of these are automatic red flags. They simply signal that follow‑up questions are needed. More detail around the experiences is necessary.

High Impression Management Can Bring Value

Those on the high average end of the impression scale often have strong emotional intelligence, adaptability, and communication skills — all valuable traits in client‑facing roles.

The goal is not to avoid hiring these individuals. The goal is to validate what sits underneath the polish so decisions are based on patterns, not presentation alone. How will these traits show up if you hire this individual?

How to Validate What You Are Hearing

You usually do not need more interview questions. You just need better follow‑up.

Instead of moving on after a strong answer, try staying with it:

  • Ask what specifically made something successful.
  • Explore what was challenging, not just what worked.
  • Ask how others experienced the situation.
  • Listen for consistency across multiple examples.
  • Always make sure the candidate has truly answered the question you asked not skirted around the ends of the question and shared a good story.

Often, a few additional questions on the subject can shift the conversation from polished storytelling to real behavioral insight.

A Simple Mindset Shift

Think of your role in the interview not as confirming a good impression, but as gently testing it. Slow the conversation down. Look for patterns instead of standout stories. Separate likability from predictability. Look beyond the surface answer for the true depth of the experience.

Interviews will probably always involve some degree of impression management. That is normal. But when you recognize it and validate it thoughtfully, interviews become far more useful — and hiring decisions become far less risky.

Final Thoughts

Impression management is human. Interviews invite it. The goal is not to eliminate polished answers, but to look beyond them. When hiring decisions rely on surface‑level communication alone, organizations take on unnecessary risk.

When interviews are designed to validate impression management—rather than reward it blindly—they become far more predictive.

The most effective hiring teams understand this distinction. They listen carefully, follow up intentionally, and focus on patterns that reveal how someone will actually work once the interview ends.

If you are interested in learning more about how impression management can be identified and tested during an interview, please contact us at Info@LighthouseConsulting.com.

Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC

Testing Division provides a variety of services, including an In-depth Work Style Personality assessment for new hires, staff development, career guidance and team building. Our assessment  is available in 19 different languages. In addition, we offer skills testing and 360 assessments.

Business Consulting for Higher Productivity Division provides leadership and management coaching, a variety of workshops including team building, communication styles, stress management, leadership training, staff planning, operations, and much more.

For more information on our services, please go to www.LighthouseConsulting.com or contact us at Info@LighthouseConsulting.com.

Permission is needed from Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC to reproduce any portion provided in this article. © 2026

Rethinking the Interview: Innovative Techniques to Identify the Right Talent Faster

By Patty Crabtree CEO, Lighthouse Consulting Partners LLC

Finding the right candidate has never been more challenging. In today’s talent market, employers aren’t just competing for skills — they are competing for fit. A strong résumé might check all the boxes for technical expertise, but if a new hire struggles to mesh with a company’s culture, the costs of a mis-hire can be staggering.

For many of my clients, the difficulty isn’t a lack of candidates. It is that traditional interviews too often fail to distinguish between someone who will thrive and someone who will falter. Standard interview formats allow even mediocre candidates to “pass” by giving polished but shallow responses. That is why I’ve been working with companies to adopt more innovative, culture-aligned interviewing techniques that get past the surface level and help zero in on the people most likely to succeed in their unique environments.

One particularly clever approach comes from veteran recruiter Paddy Lambros and it is a great example of how a small change in interview structure can yield powerful insights.

Flipping the Script: Let the Candidate Go First

Most interviews start predictably: “Tell me about yourself.” “Walk me through your background.” “Why do you think you’re a good fit for this role?” By now, candidates expect these questions and can rehearse answers to the point where they sound genuine — even if they are not.

Lambros, who has interviewed more than 10,000 people over his career, decided to turn that pattern upside down. Instead of leading with questions about the candidate, he starts by inviting them to ask him a question.

This seemingly small twist forces the candidate to think on their feet. Those who have done their homework and thought deeply about the role tend to ask thoughtful, specific questions. Those who haven’t… don’t.

And the gap can be telling.

“The best candidates typically ask the most interesting and insightful questions,” Lambros notes. Weaker candidates, on the other hand, may ask something generic — or have nothing prepared at all.

It is not about “tripping people up” for sport. It is about revealing the depth of their interest, their curiosity, and their engagement with the opportunity. 

What to Listen For

When you invite a candidate to go first, you’re not just looking for clever phrasing. You are listening for:

Depth of thought – Have they considered the real challenges of the role, or are they just rephrasing something from your website?

Ownership mindset – Are they asking about how they can contribute and make an impact, rather than only what’s in it for them?

Curiosity about success measures – Do they want to understand what “good” looks like in your organization?

For example, a strong candidate might ask:

  • “How would you know that I’m a top performer within 60 days?”
  • “What is it that will be true about your business in a year if I work here?”
  • “What kind of outcome do you want to achieve in this role?”

These questions show they are thinking about results, integration into the business, and long-term contribution. By contrast, generic questions like, “What’s your company culture like?” often indicate they haven’t gone beyond the most obvious talking points.

Why It Works in the Age of AI

Another reason Lambros prefers this approach is the growing influence of AI-generated interview answers. With tools like ChatGPT, candidates can practice and perfect answers to almost any standard interview question.

But here’s the catch: it is much harder to fake curiosity. A large language model can suggest questions to ask, but delivering them with authentic follow-up requires real engagement with the conversation.

When the candidate goes first, you get a glimpse of their unfiltered thinking before they have a chance to settle into rehearsed patterns.

Where This Technique Works Best

This “candidate-goes-first” strategy shines in roles that require curiosity, initiative, and strong interpersonal skills — such as leadership, sales, client service, or roles that involve complex problem-solving. In these positions, the ability to ask good questions is not just a nice-to-have; it is essential to success.

It may be less useful for task-oriented roles that don’t require much self-directed inquiry. Still, even in those cases, starting with the candidate’s questions can reveal their preparation level and motivation.

Combining This with Culture-Driven Interviewing

While the candidate-first method is innovative, it is even more powerful when paired with culture-based interviewing — a process I teach my clients to ensure they are assessing for both competence and cultural alignment.

Step 1: Anchor to Core Values
Start by translating your company’s core values into specific, behavioral interview questions. For example, if “collaboration” is a value, instead of asking “Do you work well in teams?” ask:

  • “Tell me about a time you had to rely on someone else to complete a project. How did you ensure the partnership was successful?”
  • “What is the most challenging team dynamic you’ve worked in, and how did you handle it?”

These questions push candidates to share real stories, which you can probe for depth and authenticity.

Step 2: Dig Beneath the First Answer

Surface answers are easy to prepare for; deeper truths take more work to uncover. That is why you should always follow up with prompts like:

  • “What was your role in making that happen?”
  • “What did you learn from that experience?”
  • “What would you do differently next time?”

The more layers you peel back, the clearer the picture of their true behaviors and thinking patterns.

Step 3: Observe, Don’t Just Listen

Pay attention to tone, body language, and emotional responses. Is the candidate genuinely engaged? Do they show enthusiasm when describing successes? Are they defensive when discussing challenges? These cues often reveal as much as the content of their words.

Putting It All Together: A Sample Interview Flow

Here’s how you might structure an interview to combine these techniques:

  1. Opening– Briefly introduce yourself and the company. Then invite the candidate to go first with their questions. “Before we get into my questions, I’d like to start with you. What would you like to ask me about this role or our company?”
  1. Culture-Driven Questions– Transition into questions linked to your core values and desired behaviors. Dig deeper with follow-ups.
  1. Role-Specific Scenarios– Present real-world situations they might encounter and ask how they would handle them.
  1. Mutual Fit Check– Circle back to the candidate’s earlier questions to address anything unresolved. Invite them to share new questions sparked by the conversation.
  1. Closing– Outline next steps and thank them for their time.

Benefits Beyond Screening

This approach not only helps you identify strong candidates faster — it also improves the candidate experience. By allowing them to ask questions first, you create a two-way dialogue rather than a one-sided interrogation.

Highly qualified candidates, who are often evaluating multiple opportunities, will appreciate the opportunity to assess you as much as you are assessing them. As Lambros puts it, “The very best people are assessing you as much as you are assessing them.”

And if it’s not a fit? You’ll find out earlier, saving time for everyone. 

The Bottom Line

In an era where AI, rehearsed answers, and online interview guides make it easier than ever for candidates to “play the game,” employers need interview strategies that go deeper.

Inviting candidates to start the conversation shifts the dynamic, exposing their level of curiosity, preparation, and genuine interest. Pairing this with culture-driven, behavior-based questioning helps you uncover not just someone can do the job, but whether they will thrive in your environment.

The result? You spend less time on ineffective candidates, and more time on those with the skills, mindset, and cultural fit to succeed — helping you make better hiring decisions, faster.

Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC

Testing Division provides a variety of services, including an in-depth work style & personality assessment for new hires, staff development and team building. We can provide this assessment  in 19 different languages along with offering skills testing and 360 assessments.

Business Consulting for Higher Productivity Division provides leadership and management coaching, a variety of workshops including team building, communication styles, stress & time management, sales & customer service training and negotiation skills, leadership training, staff planning, operations, and much more.

For more information on our services, please go to www.LighthouseConsulting.com or contact us at Info@LighthouseConsulting.com.

Permission is needed from Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC to reproduce any portion provided in this article. © 2025

Why Investing in Your People is the Best Business Strategy You’ll Ever Make

By Patty Crabtree, CEO Lighthouse Consulting Partners LLC 

After 50 years in business, a seasoned executive shared a simple truth: “The most valuable asset in any company isn’t a product or process—it’s your people. When your team is firing on all cylinders, the entire organization thrives.”

This insight is more than just a reflection—it’s a proven business strategy.

While companies often chase innovation, efficiency, and scalability, long-term success comes from within. Organizations that invest in their people—through skill development, coaching, and improved team dynamics—gain a competitive advantage that’s hard to replicate.

 

The ROI of Investing in Human Capital

The numbers speak for themselves:

  • A study by LinkedIn Learningfound that 94% of employees said they would stay longer at a company that invested in their learning and development.
  • According to Gallup, companies with highly engaged workforces outperform their peers by 21% in profitabilityand 17% in productivity.
  • Research from Boston Consulting Groupfound that companies with above-average talent management practices saw 2 times the revenue growth and 1.5 times the profit margins compared to those with below-average practices.

Staff development isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a multiplier. When employees feel seen, valued, and equipped to succeed, they show up with more energy, creativity, and ownership.

 

Team Dynamics: The Hidden Lever of High Performance

Often overlooked, team dynamics are the engine behind organizational success. When teams function well—communicating clearly, understanding one another’s strengths, and collaborating effectively—they move faster and solve problems more creatively.

People often think of growth as an individual pursuit but the real transformation happens when you invest in how people work together. That’s where performance leaps forward.

The Harvard Business Review reports that psychologically safe teams—where individuals feel they can take risks and express themselves without fear—are more innovative and faster at solving complex problems. And according to Deloitte, companies that prioritize inclusive team cultures are 8 times more likely to achieve better business outcomes.

 

The Cost of Doing Nothing

On the flip side, failing to invest in people is costly:

  • S. businesses lose up to $1 trillion annuallydue to voluntary turnover, much of it driven by lack of growth opportunities (Gallup).
  • Disengaged employees cost organizations 18% of their annual salaryin lost productivity.
  • Poor collaboration and communication in teams account for 86% of workplace failures, according to Salesforce research.

When organizations neglect professional growth or allow team dysfunction to go unaddressed, the result is high turnover, low morale, and underperformance—all of which erode business value over time.

 

Building for the Long Game

The organizations that rise above these challenges are those that commit to long-term investment in their people. They don’t just train—they coach, mentor, and create structures for team learning. They go beyond job descriptions to understand how individuals think, problem-solve, and contribute to group dynamics.

Understanding work style differences, communication preferences, and stress patterns isn’t just a team-building exercise—it’s strategic alignment. When people understand each other, trust builds. With trust, you get speed, resilience, and results.

 

Final Thought: It’s Not Just Strategy—It’s Culture

The strongest companies don’t view people development as a one-off workshop or a checkbox on the HR agenda. They embed it into their culture.

They ask:

  • Are we helping our people grow?
  • Do our teams work in alignment or in silos?
  • Are we building a culture of trust, accountability, and continuous improvement?

When the answer is yes, the dividends are real—and measurable.

The return on investing in people is exponential. When you build a culture where individuals grow and teams thrive, you don’t just weather change—you lead through it.

Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC

Testing Division provides a variety of talent management services, including in-depth work style personality assessments for new hires, staff development and team building. Lighthouse provides these assessments  in 19 different languages along with offering skills testing, leadership and management coaching and offer a variety of workshops including team building and interview skills.

Business Consulting for Higher Productivity Division provides professional coaching, stress management workshops, sales and customer service training, negotiation skills, leadership training, staff planning, operations, and much more.

For more information on our services, please go to www.lighthouseconsulting.com or contact us at Info@LighthouseConsulting.com.

Permission is needed from Lighthouse Consulting Partners, LLC to reproduce any portion provided in this article © 2025

The Promise and The Pitfall Of 360-Degree Surveys

By Dana Borowka, MA

Famed management author Ken Blanchard says feedback is the breakfast of champions. Psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers said listening, not imitation, is the sincerest form of flattery. Super successful CEOs like Bill Gates say we all need feedback because that is how we improve.

The natural desire to improve the performance of leaders through feedback gave rise to the popularity beginning in the 1990s of 360-degree feedback surveys. The objective of using these surveys is to create high-performing organizations by tapping into the collective feedback of many colleagues rather than just a top-down approach.

That is the promise.

But there is a danger. The amount and level of training of those providing 360-degree feedback can impact the level of accuracy of the feedback. Without guidance from a trained professional, bias may distort the value of the feedback.

And that is the pitfall. But there is a way to avoid this feedback peril.

“Naturally to some degree people are resistant to feedback,” says Tom Drucker, MA, who helps Lighthouse Consulting clients debrief 360-degree survey results. “We all have defenses against feedback, so the feedback needs to be mediated by someone who is trained to do this.”

Drucker received his master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from UCLA while working with and being mentored by famed psychologists Viktor Frankl and Abraham Maslow. He went on to pursue his PhD at UCLA’s business school where he studied change management, operations research, anthropology, linguistics, and behavioral science. His unpublished dissertation focused on how leadership styles affected the success of long-term organizational change.

That varied background comes in handy when he debriefs leaders on their 360-degree survey results.

“My job has always been to talk to each person and debrief their results with them,” says Drucker. “I’m a trained clinical psychologist. I had a practice for a number of years before going into the business world.”

Also called multi-rater surveys, a 360-degree feedback is a process through which feedback is gathered from an employee’s supervisors, subordinates, and colleagues, as well as a self-evaluation by the employee themselves. The 360-degree survey can be contrasted with downward feedback from the boss or upward feedback delivered to managers by subordinates.

In Drucker’s view, the worst-case scenario is to just grab some 360-degree survey tool from the Internet and let the recipients interpret the feedback from the various people on their own. Just because a survey is cheap and easy does not make it the best approach.

Drucker says when successfully implemented, 360-degree feedback can be a game-changer for a business. These surveys can initiate positive changes and provide more accurate performance reviews leading to accelerated professional growth.

“When I review the results with those being assessed, I have very authentic conversations with people about their strengths,” says Drucker. “Then we talk about what is getting in their way. This leads to helpful conversations about what they should start doing, stop doing and continue doing. This is a transformative conversation for many leaders.”

This is similar to what Lighthouse Consulting Services has found to be true when we work with companies who want to improve hiring and talent development through in-depth work style and personality assessment. You can learn how your people and candidates are wired in order to hire the best and understand how to proactively manage individuals.

But to get full benefit, you need to be debriefed on the assessments by trained professionals. We assist clients by providing the leading in-depth work style and personality assessment and then utilizing our insights and assessment knowledge to best interpret the results.

Before using 360-degree surveys, some people want to know the origins of the approach. It all began around 1930 when military psychologist Johann Baptist Rieffert developed a methodology to select officer candidates for the German army. The jump to the business world occurred in the 1950s when the Esso Research and Engineering Company gathered information on employees, which arguably is the first recorded business use of the technique.

From there, the idea of 360-degree feedback gained momentum, and by the ‘90s most human resources and organizational development professionals discovered the concept. Today, studies suggest that over one-third of U.S. companies use some type of multi-source, multi-rater feedback like a 360-degree survey.

“A 360-degree survey has two parts,” says Drucker. “The first part is analytical, and examines how frequently certain behaviors occur, like leaders asking subordinates ‘how can I do my job better to support you?’”

The meat of this section of the 360-degree is getting statistically valid data on observable behaviors and the impact those behaviors have on their boss and others.

“The second part are open-ended questions, such as ‘what are the strengths of the leader?’ and ‘what are you afraid to tell the leader?’” says Drucker. “We spend a fair amount of time debriefing answers to those types of questions.”

Drucker says it is important that the feedback is anonymous.

“This is a way to see yourself as others see you, as the poet said,” notes Drucker. “Sometimes the feedback can be empowering. Other times it can be unsettling. As a clinician, I’m able to help people process the feedback even on Zoom calls.”
Without help in the debriefing, the part of the brain that produces threat responses might get triggered and derail the value of the feedback process.

“We’re all human beings, and we all have this almond-shaped gland in the brain called the amygdala, which triggers fear and can cut off any kind of logical, creative thinking,” says Drucker about the natural fight, flight or freeze response that triggers our bodies feeling anxious and afraid.

Drucker, who became a neuroscientist about 20 years ago, says the amygdala is what helped our ancestors survive in a hostile world. There are natural biochemical reactions we can thank for our being on the planet today.

“Feedback can be very upsetting which triggers a fear response in the brain,” says Drucker. “I have had clients become depressed because the information was so uniformly negative. However, 95% of all written feedback reflects the observer’s respect for the leader. Their words are intended to inspire positive change.”

Without someone to help process the information, it can be overwhelming. But it does not have to be.

Drucker began consulting after spending 15 years as a senior executive in Human Resources at Xerox Corporation. His experience at Xerox provided him with a global business perspective and refined his personal skills in leadership and management. He has developed unique methods for coaching successful leaders as they grow their organizations. He is also very proud to apply these same business tools to nonprofit organizations and community institutions like schools, hospitals, and law enforcement agencies.

Drucker says the 360-degree survey and professional feedback is not just for the Fortune 500 but can help organizations of all sizes.

“When professionally conducted and interpreted, the results can be significant,” says Drucker. “Without a trained professional, the value of their results is severely diminished.”  If you are open to a conversation about a 360-degree survey process or how our in-depth work style and personality assessment could help your team, including pricing and the science behind the tests, please contact us at 310-453-6556, extension 403.

Permission is needed from Lighthouse Consulting Services, LLC to reproduce any portion provided in this article. © 2021

Dana Borowka, MA, CEO of Lighthouse Consulting Services, LLC and his organization constantly remain focused on their mission statement – “To bring effective insight to your business”. They do this through the use of in-depth work style & personality assessments to raise the hiring bar so companies select the right people to reduce hiring and management errors. LCS can test in 19 different languages, provide domestic and international interpersonal coaching and offer a variety of workshops – team building, interpersonal communication, stress & time management, sales & customer service training and negotiation skills as well as our full-service Business Consulting Division. Dana has over 30 years of business consulting experience and is a nationally renowned speaker, radio and TV personality on many topics. He is the co-author of the books, “Cracking the Personality Code”, “Cracking the Business Code” and “Cracking the High-Performance Team Code”. To order the books, please visit www.lighthouseconsulting.com.

Tom Drucker, MA is a Senior Lighthouse Consultant and works with leaders to achieve business success by leveraging the strengths of their people and overcoming the very human yet often unseen obstacles that get their way. Tom has well over 30 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies, mid caps and start ups.

Lighthouse Consulting Services, LLC provides a variety of services, including in-depth work style & personality assessments for new hires & staff development. LCS can test in 19 different languages, provide domestic and international interpersonal coaching and offer a variety of workshops – team building, interpersonal communication, stress & time management, sales & customer service training and negotiation skills as well as our full-service Business Consulting Division.

For more information, please visit our website, www.lighthouseconsulting.com to sign up for our Open Line webinars and monthly Keeping On Track publication.  If you would like additional information on this topic or others, please contact your Human Resources department or Lighthouse Consulting Services LLC, Santa Monica, CA, (310) 453-6556, dana@lighthouseconsulting.com & our website: www.lighthouseconsulting.com.

How to Conduct Remote Job Interviews

By Dana Borowka, MA

Many companies struggle to find the right candidates for their organization. Having a small radius to find the right talent can add to these challenges.

The solution is to open up the geographic area for recruiting because that opens up a whole new talent pool. Now your company can target specific areas in the country where more candidates with certain talents may be found.

However, there is a concern. Remote worker programs mean hiring managers need to get better at remote interviewing through video.

During the COVID crisis with the stay-at-home order, remote interviewing has become a requirement, not a luxury.

“Remote worker programs must be done right if you are to garner productivity gains,” says Patty Crabtree, a senior consultant at Lighthouse Consulting Services with 25 years of operations and finance leadership experience.

“As someone who has implemented these programs and now helps clients transition to these programs, how you interview remote job candidates is an important new recruiting skill,” says Crabtree.

Author and recruiting expert Barry Deutsch has strong views on remote interviewing.

“Most companies do a terrible job preparing managers and executives to hire effectively, including remotely interviewing candidates,“ says Deutsch, a partner at IMPACT Hiring Solutions and co-author of the book You’re Not The Person I Hired.

“In most companies, hiring is not a process, it’s a random set of arbitrary meetings where each individual manager does interviewing in their own misguided way,” says Deutsch. “The minute you turn hiring into a process, train all your managers, and put some rigor behind it, then hiring accuracy starts becoming more reliable.”

Crabtree concurs.

“Once you have a system set up, you can interview anyone through Zoom or similar solutions regardless of their location,” says Crabtree. “It comes down to your process and how you assess candidates.”

Here are tips from Deutsch and Crabtree on how to maximize the effectiveness of your remote job interviews:

Take Advantage of Video

Zoom, Skype and Go-to-Meeting, just to name a few, have been a boon to remote job interviews. Seeing the candidate is so much better than just interviewing them by phone. But beware. Sometimes the technology goes awry. One company we help had a bad interview session with a candidate because the technology was not working right. They were just going to throw out that candidate. That is a huge mistake. With our assistance, they re-interviewed the candidate when the technology was more cooperative.

“Know how stressful or intimidating panel interviews can be,” says Crabtree. “Make it fun and interactive. The attitude should be: ‘Let’s have a conversation and get to know each other. Let’s see how this dynamic will work and if you have the skills to do the job successfully.’”

Deutsch says the most difficult part of interviewing through video is that the process of conducting testing where you ask them to do something to validate the skill they are claiming, such as welding, electronic soldering, physical use of hands in a manufacturing, construction, or assembly role.

“This is now missing unless you bring them in a for a final test before hiring,” says Deutsch. “For all other roles, especially at the professional and managerial level, written tests, role plays, case studies, and situational examples are still important to validate, verify, and vet the candidate responses.”

For some of the knowledge or experience-based testing, there are online educational applications that can be used to proctor these tools.

Prepare Your Interview Questions

“I actually like video and audio interviewing compared to face-to-face interviewing because it tends to remove the bias and emotions most managers use in interviewing that lead to mistakes and errors,” says Deutsch.

When asking questions, focus on understanding their past experience about working from home as it is a different experience, advises Crabtree.

“Delve into self-motivation, organization, time management and development of work relationships,” says Crabtree. “Similar questions you would normally ask but looking to connect their skills and behaviors with the uniqueness of a work at home experience.”

Make sure they can keep themselves on track in a work at home environment along with making sure they could build relationships with their colleagues. There are many introverts in the world that struggle with the relationship piece. While that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t hire them, it gives the manager insight into the support that needs to be provided to help the individual be successful.

Make Sure Your Process is in Order

“If you need workers, using remote interviewing will help with the social distancing that is needed during this time,” says Crabtree. “You can successfully screen candidates remotely with the right process and tools and limit the in-person interaction.”

When she was a hiring manager, Crabtree remained flexible.
“Timing was no different whether someone was local or living in an out of area location,” says Crabtree. “We worked around schedules and determined the times that worked for everyone involved. Sometimes this was early in the morning, during lunch hours or into the evening. We stayed flexible because finding the right candidate was the most important driver of this process.”

Ask Deep and Penetrating Questions

“The top trait of success is initiative,” says Deutsch. “This is also characterized as proactivity or discretionary effort. Very few candidates consistently show that trait.”

According to Deutsch, the very best performers are constantly going above and beyond the call of duty, doing more than they were asked, anticipating, and always thinking one step ahead.

How do you measure this number one trait of success in the interview?

“A large part of hiring failure can be attributed to asking the traditional, standard, stupid, inane, canned interview questions,” says Deutsch. “If you want to determine if someone can achieve your desired goals, outcomes, deliverables, expectations, key performance indicators, and metrics, then you need a set of interview questions designed to extract that information to predict future performance and fit.”

Of course, don’t just rely on the interview. Also carefully check references.

Use an In-depth Work Style and Personality Assessment

Since you’re not meeting people face to face, the use of assessments becomes even more important.

“Never hire another candidate, especially a remote candidate, until you put them through an in-depth workstyle and personality assessment,” says Deutsch. He advises that it doesn’t matter the level of the position. You should test every final candidate.

“Anything less than five hours of effective interviewing is nothing more than closet psychology,” adds Deutsch. “You’re just guessing what’s behind the curtain.”

Yet, hiring for attitude, behavior, and cultural fit is just as important as measuring whether the candidate can perform to your expectations.

When Crabtree was a hiring manager, she had a solid multi-step process in place before she started hiring remote employees.

“After screening the resumes and a quick online assessment, there would be an initial phone call by the hiring manager,” said Crabtree. “If the basic qualifications were met, the candidate would then take an in-depth workstyle and personality assessment, which would help us understand that person’s workstyle and how they would fit into the team.”

Always Seek Top Talent

Remember, the objective of remote interviews is to find top talent.
Here is what Deutsch has to say about finding top talent: “Top talent is working; it’s rare that they’re unemployed so don’t pin your hopes on the resume database of a job board or rely on a recruiter that doesn’t have access to working candidates.”

The better you understand what makes top talent tick, the better chance you have of attracting them.

Deutsch went on to say: “Top talent is usually already well paid and working on amazing projects so don’t believe that paying more money is going to be enough to shake top talent from their current employers. Top candidates ultimately take new jobs because: the opportunity is terrific, they will be working for a boss they can respect, and the company is one they can respect and admire.”

Remember, remote interviews with candidates are a two-way street. Top talent candidates have many options. You want to assess if the candidate is right, and you want to persuade the candidate that yours is the right company for them. The hiring manager has an important job of communicating that during the remote interview.

Lighthouse can help guide your organization in designing and implementing a remote work force platform with the help of our practice specialist through our full service business consulting division For more information please contact Dana@lighthouseconsulting.com or call 310-453-6556 ext. 403.

A Final Thought: Supervising A Remote Work Force

We just did an outstanding webinar entitled, Supervising A Remote Work Force. You’ll find it to be very helpful and will want to share it with others!

Audio: https://lighthouseconsulting.com/openline/040720/OpenLine040720.mp3
Slides: https://lighthouseconsulting.com/openline/040720/OpenLine040720.pdf

Lighthouse can help guide your organization in designing and implementing a remote work force platform with the help of our practice specialist through our full service business consulting division. For more information please contact Dana@lighthouseconsulting.com or call 310-453-6556 ext. 403.

Permission is needed from Lighthouse Consulting Services, LLC to reproduce any portion provided in this article. © 2020

Dana Borowka, MA, CEO of Lighthouse Consulting Services, LLC and his organization constantly remain focused on their mission statement – “To bring effective insight to your business”. They do this through the use of in-depth work style assessments to raise the hiring bar so companies select the right people to reduce hiring and management errors. LCS can test in 19 different languages, provide domestic and international interpersonal coaching and offer a variety of workshops – team building, interpersonal communication and stress management. Dana has over 25 years of business consulting experience and is a nationally renowned speaker, radio and TV personality on many topics. He is the co-author of the books, “Cracking the Personality Code”, “Cracking the Business Code” and “Cracking the High-Performance Team Code”. To order the books, please visit www.lighthouseconsulting.com.

If you would like additional information on this topic or others, please contact your Human Resources department or Lighthouse Consulting Services LLC, Santa Monica, CA, (310) 453-6556, dana@lighthouseconsulting.com & our website: www.lighthouseconsulting.com.

Lighthouse Consulting Services, LLC provides a variety of services, including in-depth work style assessments for new hires & staff development. LCS can test in 19 different languages, provide domestic and international interpersonal coaching and offer a variety of workshops – team building, interpersonal communication and stress management.