As an executive search professional we should do all we can to insure that we are getting to know the “real” person during a candidate interview. You can gain trust and realism by setting the stage for a safe and nurturing job interview on the front end of any interview.
I attempt to create a sense of safety and security by telling the candidate (at the start of the interview) that we will accomplish three things: 1) walk and talk through their work history via their resume, 2) discuss some softer questions ie operating style and motivation and 3) discuss the position description during the last stage of the interview.
The structure that you set on the front end allows the candidate to relax and understand that we will have three stages to work through together and the security it creates almost always sets the tone for a genuine interview.
