Part Four : Narrowing in on the Aligned Empathetic Employee
Interview Traits
Congratulations! You have narrowed in on a few candidates to bring in for an interview. You’ve done your due diligence, so you are in a tough position because you want to make the right hire! In order to see the most accurate version of an interviewee, it is the responsibility of the interviewer to create a safe environment. This allows the person to bring to the surface their authentic self, so you can accurately compare your interaction in person to the impression of their resume and application. Intimidation does not serve in an interview setting, as it can add a stressed response to an already stressful situation. Beyond that, a safe environment will allow them to connect to their own intuition about the position and you as a potential leader. An interview is a mutual process, and the goal is shared consent. Understand this and do your best to make the interview conversational. I have witnessed many interviews being scripted in such a way that the only opportunity the interviewee gets to ask questions is at the very end when time is strapped. Finally, be present. It has become far too common for hiring managers to conduct an interview in a space where their business is being operated right in front of them. It is human nature to be distracted when stimulus is all around you. Try making a ceremony out of the process. This can be as simple as using a space free of distraction or interruption, possibly even in an outdoor setting that can inspire conversation and safety in itself. Another modest action that can create great impact is the offering of a beverage that is special to your company culture. Rather than simply offering a glass of water, if you have options or excitement around sharing something it can be a welcoming gesture and allow you both to sink in and be fully present.
These instances make it that much more important to ground yourselves. Grounding yourselves can be as simple as allowing plenty of time for interviews and time in between to refresh, process, and prepare for the next. Staying grounded together will allow you to both stay present, so that each interviewee is given the fair opportunity to experience a safe environment and conversation. All in all, lead with generosity and curiosity as you go.
What should you see or hear to identify the empathetic employee?
In part one, we defined that an empathetic employee is one who is self aware, a conscious listener, compassionate, has a positive attitude, and is confident. So, what should you see or hear to identify those traits?
A self aware candidate will be someone who could walk you through their resume as if it were a story they are a character in. It flows through with challenge, progression, reflection, and insight. There will be a sense of wonder about them, which can show you that they lead a life, personally and professionally, where wonder leads to seeking deeper understanding and direction. Try to not confuse this sense of wonder with someone who has held ten jobs in three years. Look for the stories where you see progression.
A conscious listener will be present with your question, sit with it, absorb it, and not answer too quickly. They may even first ask a follow-up question to clarify your question. Encourage this with reciprocated conscious listening. It is human nature to be preparing our response or insight as someone speaks, so this will be very rare to discard of in an interview setting. As the interviewer, you can set this precedent by being an example of being present with them, and engaging conversationally. This will allow you to do the same with the questions they ask you - whether you’ve heard the question prior or not. Practice your beginner’s mind.
A compassionate candidate may show either an emotional or engaged response to your brand story and vision. Starting an interview by sharing your brand story not only shows the importance of it in who you are, and what you do, but why you do it. Ask a follow-up question to understand their connection to your brand story. This will allow them the opportunity to sync their values with yours and on manys occasions, you may hear a very personal, passionate story that brought them to your company.
Identifying someone with a positive attitude that lasts beyond the show of being interviewed, comes from a few places. Body language is a major piece of the puzzle. It can be as simple as smiling, eye contact, and posture. In my experience, asking a question that gives someone the opportunity to either blame or take ownership, is one way to convey attitude. Finally, humor… being defaulted to humor can represent a tendency toward light-heartedness. In one of the companies I led, I would always ask the person I was interviewing what their favorite gif was, or most commonly used one. I would express that we were a “gif-ing” culture which meant that we didn’t take things too seriously, and needing to find ways to visually laugh over work, which can sometimes feel stressful.
It can be tricky to identify a confident candidate versus someone that is egotistical or overpowering. Confident candidates can be persuading. Harvard Business Review laid out an interview starter guide which can help you identify red flags when asking questions to explore confidence-derived traits like expressing an opinion freely, being talkative, and the stressing of strengths.
Even though hiring a customer service rep is an involved process, it will pay off and become the baseline for the future of customer service. As of late, we have seen first hand the brands that have been rallied behind despite the ever-changing ways of the retail world. This is an example of businesses that have already operated and hired in that way. The customers felt the empathy of the staff and are in turn responding in a similar way despite change and adversity. Leaning into this involved approach will serve over long term.
In Summary:
Create a safe environment so that the applicant can show you their fully authentic self.
Make the interview conversational. This will allow more room for questions to surface naturally throughout rather than only at the end when time may be limited. More questions from both parties can eliminate making a misaligned hire.
Be present. This very basic and somewhat obvious approach is sorely lacking in the way many currently interview. Put your phone away, conduct interviews in a sacred space removed from the day to day environment in which you work.
Take an engaged, comprehensive, and involved approach to hiring. It will serve you over the long term and create a loyal customer base, one that feels they can trust you with their business and with their deeper needs.
