How to Hire A-Players: Finding the Top People for ... - GIT home page

Don’t Be Afraid of Silence
Most people who conduct job interviews are scared of silence. If
more than three seconds go by in which no one speaks, they rush in
to fill the void. Don’t do that. Ask a good question; ask a follow-up
question; then close your mouth and force the candidate to talk. I
once worked with an investment banker who was very effective at
getting job candidates (and everyone else) to provide him with the
information he wanted. He would ask a question and then sit silently
for 30 seconds or longer until the other person spoke. In a job interview,
as in life, you learn when you listen, not when you talk.
Take Notes
Interviewing and the Economic Value of Good Looks 163
My client hired the third candidate in large part because of his
comprehensive responses to our follow-up questions. When he
got on the job, he proved to be as effective as his answers were.
A-Player Principle: A-players can give you detailed,
step-by-step descriptions of how they achieved past results.
Don’t hire people who can only answer in generalities and
broad-brush responses.
Try to take fairly thorough notes during an interview. You won’t be
able to write down every word, but do record key replies and
phrases in the candidate’s own words. When you go back to review
your notes, these verbatim quotes will jog your memory better than
your own version of their statements.
Implement a Post-Interview Review
I emphasize the importance of a post-interview review to evaluate
job candidates. Meet with the other interviewers to discuss your