{by Tadd Downs for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) online}
My job for the past 25 years has been to put bad guys in jail. I am sure you are asking, “Why is a criminal investigator writing an article for an HR publication?”
An investigator and an HR professional have more in common than you may think.
The more I speak to HR folks, the more I am convinced they could benefit from what I call an “investigator’s mindset.”
In essence, both sets of professionals conduct investigations. The law enforcement investigator does so to solve crimes, while the HR professional investigates applicants and candidates before hiring them. This can be challenging and frustrating. If the HR investigation is done right, a qualified employee is hired. If it’s done wrong, the employer ends up with a problem employee. However, avoiding a bad hire is easier said than done.
During a candidate interview, the HR professional ideally tries to have an open and honest conversation with the applicant so that the former can make an informed business decision. However, scientific studies show that applicants often lie in interviews to obtain a job. In addition, applicants may go to great lengths to try to impress the interviewer.
In my research, I’ve found that interviewers are often poorly prepared to detect a job seeker’s misleading statements. Here is where using the investigator’s mindset can help the HR professional.
Criminal investigators are experts at what I call creating a “psychologically safe” environment. When an HR professional uses an investigator’s mindset for hiring, he or she needs to:
- Become a student of nonverbal communication.
- Recognize the seven universal emotions.
- Properly prepare.
- Lower the cognitive load.
- Listen aggressively.
A criminal investigator and an HR professional have more in common than you may think.
So the more I speak to HR folks, the more I am convinced they could benefit from what I call an “investigator’s mindset.”
In essence, both sets of professionals conduct investigations. The law enforcement investigator does so to solve crimes, while the HR professional investigates applicants and candidates before hiring them. This can be challenging and frustrating. If the HR investigation is done right, a qualified employee is hired. If it’s done wrong, the employer ends up with a problem employee. However, avoiding a bad hire is easier said than done.
During a candidate interview, the HR professional ideally tries to have an open and honest conversation with the applicant so that the former can make an informed business decision. However, scientific studies show that applicants often lie in interviews to obtain a job. In addition, applicants may go to great lengths to try to impress the interviewer.
In my research, I’ve found that interviewers are often poorly prepared to detect a job seeker’s misleading statements. Here is where using the investigator’s mindset can help the HR professional.
Criminal investigators are experts at what I call creating a “psychologically safe” environment. When an HR professional uses an investigator’s mindset for hiring, he or she needs to:
- Become a student of nonverbal communication.
- Recognize the seven universal emotions.
- Properly prepare.
- Lower the cognitive load.
- Listen aggressively.
Investigators know that they can’t rely on “gut instinct” but on facts. One way to do this is by becoming a student of….
and then contact Kimberly at The Hire Solution for more information about interviewing candidates or letting her know your hiring needs: 630-953-7370.
