the Channel Candidates react in job interview offended or snotty about questions they cannot prepare for. You show one thing above all: your excessive demands.

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The thing about the implicit rules

Often, this is because they feel it is unfair to ask such questions or feel that they are intentionally presented in a poorer light.

They assume implicit rules of the game, that is, they think: “I prepare well and then you quiz me.” These candidates confuse that Job Interview, which is supposed to be a way of getting to know each other, with a test situation. You should try the Perspektive of the recruiter who needs to find out if Candidate also really to Companys fit.

What you can recognize by irrelevant questions

One way that HR and which is very irritating to applicants: You can ask questions about the current interview situation - or questions that are irrelevant to the applicant's aptitude assessment, for example whether he prefers to drink still or carbonated water. What can you find out?

But also seemingly harmless, irrelevant questions For example the above-mentioned after the mineral water by the reaction of the applicant many conclusions. Among other things, you can find out the following:

Questions about the interview situation

Questions about the current interview situation have the advantage that you get a direct Feedback can get from the applicant about his current state of mind. For example with the following questions:

If the applicant feels provoked

If you make provocative statements, applicants may also react indignantly because they consider your provocation as personal Criticism and this is your response to such criticism.

Think about it at this point: How often does the applicant face such a situation in his job? And: How important is it to keep the rest in this situation?

Example: When offended responding applicants disqualify themselves

Let's assume that you have one Employees want to hire in the customer service of a bank. He should take care of the complaint management. Can you afford that this employee on complaints and criticism of the customers personally offended? Probably not. Can such a situation occur in everyday working life?

An angry reaction is also conceivable. For example, the candidate can Eyes misrepresent or openly express annoyance. This may be because he feels like you aren't taking him seriously, interrupting him, or making a fuss Fun allow with him. The origin of his irritation may be an insecurity that you triggered in him with your surprising question.

What is the reaction?

Again, it is important that you think about whether such a situation could occur in your professional life Everyday life may occur and how potentially beneficial or detrimental his angry response might be. Once you've managed to surprise your candidate with your question, the next step is to closely monitor their reaction to the question.

The first reaction is often the same: surprise or surprise. It comes reflexively in response to the fact that you have disturbed the candidate's thought. He has expected another question or another subject and his amazement is an expression of that.

After this first surprise effect has subsided, which can only take a few fractions of a second, the applicant's follow-up reaction begins. This can now be quite different.

Positive or negative?

It is difficult to classify these reactions as exclusively positive or negative to be evaluated, as the evaluation depends on the requirements of the position and the company. Our interpretation of the typical reactions, which we list below for you, is therefore deliberately kept general.

A possible reaction of the candidate is a long silence. This is often neither positive nor negative, since there is only a suggestion that the candidate was not prepared and therefore takes more time to think about a possible answer.

Is a quick response basically better?

Otherwise he always has fast, answered almost like a shot, this at least gives you the Informationthat the candidate was well or better prepared for the other questions.

The opposite reaction, a very fast response from the candidate, can be interpreted in at least two directions. The first is the possibility that the candidate was not really surprised because he was prepared for your question.

How important is this ability for the job

However, this is less likely to be the case, since classical or standardized questions are mainly asked in the majority of the applications. The second possibility of the interpretation is that the candidate is very quick-witted and quickly knows an answer to untypical questions.

In this case, it is up to you to assess whether this is a requirement that will also be useful to him in his endeavor. If so, it is a good thing that he could answer the question quickly or respond to you with something ready to go.

When applicants ask

Applicants are often so irritated by your question that you can hardly believe what they have just heard. And react accordingly. For example, it is not uncommon for applicants to ask again, for example whether they understand correctly, whether this is really your question, whether they expect a serious answer from them, etc.

At this point, you can ask the candidate for an answer again to see how he continues to respond. Inquiring can be an indication that the candidate is unsure and wants to reassure himself before answering.

Spontaneously - or not?

However, he can also use such a demand in order to gain time for himself and thus to think about an answer longer.

No matter how you rate the candidate's questioning for you, it is definitely not a sign of being quick-witted, spontaneous or flexible Behavior. Because this would mean that the candidate simply answers the question.

When candidates laugh

Another behavior that is often observed is that the candidate starts to laugh. A Lachen from the candidate can be for a variety of reasons. One possibility is that the candidate is amused by your question or statement because it seems absurd and out of context.

This is a perfectly understandable reaction, considering that the question actually comes very suddenly and in some cases no recognizable one Sinn results. Another reason, however, may be that the candidate's laugh is an embarrassed laugh.

What is the significance of the behavior?

This laugh occurs when People a situation is embarrassing or they do not know exactly how to react. If this is the case, you can ask yourself again: How relevant is the behavior shown to mine decision? What statement does it make about the candidate's fit?

Generally speaking, about questions that serve the surprise of the candidate, say that you can get from observing the response of the candidates, important information about them. However, you can only ask a certain number of such surprising questions in a job interview.

Limit the number of surprises

Excessive use leads to a disruption in the flow of interviews or complete uncertainty and disorientation of your candidate. This would then for your suitability decision of great disadvantage.

The use of surprising questions should therefore be carefully considered. It is particularly recommended if you have the feeling that you are dealing with a candidate who is not authentic behaves.