Traditional job interview methods that have a candidate tell, rather than show, their strengths may be responsible for employers “missing diamonds in the rough,” says Adam Grant. Instead, he says, interviewers should try incorporating two steps to assess a candidate’s true potential and fit for the job.
Grant, a bestselling author and organizational psychologist at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, shared tips for improving the interview process while speaking at WOBI’s World Business Forum in New York City on Nov. 5.
He cited research that “how well somebody does a job is not indicated by how the first interview goes, it’s how much growth they show from the first interview to the second.”
Of course, hiring teams don’t always have the time or resources to give everyone a second chance if they flub the first interview. But Grant shared an alternative that still affords candidates a do-over without requiring the hiring team carve out time for another interview.
“Even if you could pause an interview halfway and say, ‘Hey, I’ve got a couple of notes for you,’ and then watch the motivation and ability to grow from the first attempt to the second, that is a great window into is somebody excited to get better and also do they have the capability to learn the skills that you’re trying to get them to excel at.”
