Following up on last week’s interview post based on my new book Success for Hire, here’s what not to do if you want your interviewing exercises to result in strong and lasting hires!

• DON’T let first impressions get the better of you.  Sometimes, you might meet a candidate whom you decide you want to hire immediately, and will ignore evidence brought forth in the interview that contradicts that opinion.  This is known as the “halo effect.”
• DON’T put too much stock in “name brands.”  Just because a candidate went to a top school or is currently with a prestigious firm doesn’t mean she’s right for your position. 
• DON’T write someone off just because he’s quiet or unruffled.  What comes across as a low level of enthusiasm or a lack of motivation may just be his interview persona, and he could in fact be quite competent and able to do the job superbly well.
• DON’T let a candidate take over the meeting with her own agenda.  If he’s talking too much and time is sliding by, politely interrupt by saying: “I’d love to hear more about that, but for now may I ask you about…?”
• DON’T think you can change a candidate. Her prickly personality has gotten her this far and she’s not likely to bend now.
• DON’T succumb to desperation hiring.  When your organization is hemorrhaging and your employees are crying for mercy, you may feel great pressure to get someone in now.  But shotgun hiring often results in fast turnover, and you don’t want to find yourself in the same situation six months from now.
• DON’T tell your life story.  The candidate is not there to hear about your career and experiences, he’s there to tell you about his.  Remember that when you’re talking, you’re not interviewing.