Whilst embracing innovative tools such as ChatGPT is part of progression, the use of the AI Chatbot can also intensify candidate fraud. Hiring or promoting the wrong person can have a crippling effect on small businesses, so it’s crucial business leaders have the requisite human skills to spot the difference between AI-enhanced exaggeration and pure fabrication.
To glean true intent with a candidate, you need to remove any bias and be truly present for the interaction. In addition, the brain knows what it knows, so if a candidate is being deceptive in relation to their experience or skills, their body “leaks” their emotions and true intent with a range of physiological changes that you can be trained to pick up.
In essence, the key to success in finding the most suitable candidate is to better balance human-centric low-tech interview skills with the evolving technology. Here are some examples:
Check their RSVP – A candidate’s rhythm, speed, volume and pitch can alter throughout the interview. The words selected and the words omitted have meaning, but also, their tone and cadence give more information than you may realise. When asking about a gap between employment or the finalisation of qualifications, the candidate may ramp up the sentence speed and use words or phrases such as “later, next thing or just after”. This phrasing, coupled with the more rapid speech, can often be used to try to move on from that discussion point.
The eyes have it – The average blink rate is between 12 to 16 blinks per minute, but this can spike immediately if the candidate has discomfort or cognitive load from the question they have just been asked. If a candidate is being deceptive (through fabrication or omission), their blink rate can skyrocket to 50 or 60 bpm, which can be quite obvious. It can also reset to normal rapidly if the conversation goes to a safer spot for them.
Lips and mouth – When a person is being deceptive, the body releases cortisol (a stress hormone) that has a range of side effects on the body. It slows down the production of saliva, which can cause more hard swallowing, and it also makes the face more sensitive along the cheekline. This is one of the reasons we look to when a person touches their face more regularly during an interview.
Self-pacifying behaviour – Any repeat touching or rubbing of the body is self-pacifying behaviour. It is the brain telling the body that it has some stress and needs soothing. This can be shown by rubbing of the fingers or forearms. It may be part of a person’s baseline so we look to see deviations in speed or location.
Turtling – If a candidate suddenly drops their chin, leans back and places their hands in their lap, this can be evidence of “turtling”. Discomfort or deception can be a driver for them to close off these power zone areas.
There are a range of other indicators of both confidence and deception that can be utilised during the interview process. Changes in tension held in the legs and feet, through to changes in the body being angled slightly away from us (ventral denial) and even transitions of tension in the hands all indicate a candidate’s state of mind.
If you remain people-centric and personable in your approach, all of these additional information flows are open to you and it will provide you with the best chance of recruiting a suitably skilled, and values-aligned new team member.
