How to Build Rapport with a Candidate During an Interview
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
For a collaborative article on LinkedIn, they wanted opinions about building rapport with candidates during an interview. LinkedIn AI wrote, “Another way to calm an anxious candidate is to build rapport with them at the beginning of the interview. This means greeting them warmly, introducing yourself and your role, and making some small talk to break the ice. You can also compliment them on their achievements, skills, or interests, or ask them about their hobbies, goals, or motivations. This will help them feel more relaxed and confident, and show them that you are interested in them as a person, not just a potential employee.”
I commented, “When I’ve worked with employers, I don’t encourage small talk except during the walk to the office or conference room where the interview will be. If on camera, I wouldn’t waste any more time than to ask “Hi, how are you,” to give them a chance to speak and break the ice. I encourage that at the time of the initial meeting, a person be greeted with a big smile, suggesting you are not going to be confrontational. From there, start off by telling them about the position. It focuses them on what you are looking for from the interview because the job description/ad may be different from the focus of the role as you think of it now. Ask open-ended questions. If you need to ask a closed-ended question, follow up with “Tell me how you did that.”
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