Suffolk County Department of Civil Service Alan Schneider, County Personnel Director planning and conducting a job inter

1. Suffolk County Department of Civil Service Alan Schneider, County Personnel Director planning and conducting a job interview

2. SUFFOLK COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL SERVICETRAINING MANUAL- PLANNING AND CONDUCTING A JOB INTERVIEW CONTENTS THE INTERVIEW IS A VALUABLE TOOL-TAKE IS SERIOUSLY page 2 BEFORE THE INTERVIEW page 3 sample questions page 8 questions that you can and cannot ask page 12 CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW page 39 non-verbal communication Page 45 AFTER THE INTERVIEW page 51 sample evaluation forms page 53 reference check- sample questions Page 58

3. The Interview is an important and valuable tool; take it seriously Candidates for competitive class positions are required to take and pass examinations to measure some critical knowledges and aptitudes. However, the interview provides an opportunity to evaluate traits beyond what can be measured in a written examination or gleaned from a review of qualifications. Zone scoring of examinations creates a significant number of tie scores providing you with more choices of candidates from which to select. A properly planned and conducted interview should increase the likelihood of selecting the best candidate; that is the candidate who best fits the job and the organization. You want to avoid trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. It’s much more difficult to get a square peg out than it was to get it in in the first place. The interview is a critical part of the selection process and should be used to the greatest advantage. It is an opportunity for you and the candidates to exchange information and assess compatibility. It is as critical for the candidate to be able to assess the job and the organization as it is for you to assess the candidate.

4. BEFORE THE INTERVIEW... • Identify required and desirable characteristics. • Develop questions and a general interview plan. • Develop standardized forms to be used for recording interview data and an objective method of evaluation. • Schedule the interviews. • Review available candidate information.

5. KNOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR A SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE Before any interviews are conducted, it is essential to plan. If you conduct interviews without a plan, it is unlikely that you will achieve the desired result, i.e. to consistently hire the best candidates. Some interviewers have implicit faith in their own ability to tell if candidates are suitable “ as soon as they walk through the door” and don’t believe that they are influenced by any interviewer biases. Most would have to admit to the possibility of biases including a halo effect (rater allows one character or performance trait to influence the entire evaluation). However, while the interview process is not infallible, proper planning and execution can significantly increase objectivity and the quality of your hiring decisions. DEVELOPMENT OF INTERVIEW CRITERIA How do you know what to look for in a candidate and what questions to ask? To do effective interviews, somebody needs to analyze the job(s) to determine exactly what skills, aptitudes, physical and psychological characteristics are important for success in the job, and any working conditions that need to be considered. You can’t evaluate whether candidates possess necessary or desirable characteristics unless these characteristics have been identified. Unfortunately, many times, supervisors don’t really know exactly what is necessary and they assume the importance of certain traits. You, as an interviewer, cannot predict future success or evaluate candidate/job compatibility in any meaningful way without knowing tasks being performed and the traits required.

6. JOB /EMPLOYEE TRAIT ANALYSIS How does someone do a job/ trait analysis? • Look at current successful employees and try to identify common traits. Such traits could be predictors of success. • Read any existing material about the job. • Ask someone who knows about the job. This can be accomplished through interviews or questionnaires/checklists. • Observe employees in the performance of the job tasks.

7. CANDIDATE TRAITS- TYPICAL CRITERIA(non-comprehensive list- illustrative only) • Motivation- Do the job requirements coincide with the candidate’s expressed interests and abilities thereby providing intrinsic motivation? • Standards- Does the candidate appear to set high standards for him/herself and others? • Initiative- Does the candidate seem to be a “self-starter” or someone who needs to be pushed to achieve goals? • Attention to Detail • Integrity • Ability to learn • Interests • Demeanor- ability to maintain composure. Compatibility with the organization and current employees. • Good judgment. • Analytical ability. • Decision-making and problem solving ability. • Leadership ability • Communication skills- listening, in addition to written and oral communication. • Creativity and innovation. • Etc.

8. DEVELOP QUESTIONS Once you have determined the essential and desirable characteristics of a successful candidate, you can develop questions for the interview. There are good general questions that can be used and you can also develop questions that are more specific to the job, working conditions, etc. Questions and trait criteria selected should be applicable to the job, based upon the analysis performed. Don’t assume the appropriateness of any trait(s). Intuitively, certain traits may seem advantageous, but may, in fact, be unnecessary or potentially undesirable. For example, a highly motivated employee who thrives on challenges may not be compatible with a job involving routine activities. The following pages provide sample questions, roughly organized by traits being evaluated. You will notice that many of the questions are open-ended. Remember, you are trying to elicit information, and open-ended questions are the best way to achieve this.

9. SAMPLE QUESTIONS Self Evaluation • Tell us a little about yourself. • How would you describe yourself? • If you have had any "enemies", how would they describe you? • What are your three greatest strengths? • How about one weakness and how you deal with it? • In what area(s) do you think you need to improve? • Tell us briefly about your career up until now. Career Goals • Where do you want to be 5 years from now? 10 years? • What prompted you to apply for this job? • What excited you most about the job? • How does this job fit in with your career plans? • Why did you leave your last job?What did you like/dislike about your last job?

10. SAMPLE QUESTIONS CONTINUED Decision-Making • What types of decisions do you make in your most recent job? • What types of decisions do you find to be the easiest? Most difficult? • What is the worst decision you ever made on the job? Judgment • Tell us about a situation on the job when you made a mistake and how you handled it. • You regularly overhear a coworker being rude on the phone. You realize that no one is aware of this. How do you handle the situation? Analytical Skills • What steps do you take in analyzing problems? • Tell us about a problem that you analyzed and describe your recommendation.

11. SAMPLE QUESTIONS continued Personal Qualities/Problem solving ability/Independence • How confident are you that you could perform the duties of this job? Why? • What aspects of your work do you get the most excited about? • You are given a new assignment, but not given any instructions. How would you go about completing the assignment? • Do you consider yourself to be creative? Can you give an example of a situation in which you came up with a creative solution to a problem? • What would your last supervisor say is your best quality? Worst? • How do you motivate yourself to complete mundane or unpleasant assignments? • Describe a situation in which your work was criticized. How did you respond?

12. MORE QUESTIONS • Working with Others • Tell us about your interpersonal skills. • What types of situations dealing with other people do you find to be the most difficult? • How do you handle difficult people. • How do you deal with conflict. • Describe a confrontation with a previous supervisor or coworker. Who was wrong and who was right? Why? • Tell us about your worst supervisor. How did you deal with him/her? Tell us about your best supervisor. Conclusion • Tell us why we should hire you. • Do you have any questions or comments or is there anything you would like to add?

13. QUESTIONS THATYOU CAN ANDCANNOT ASK (From New York State Department of Civil Service Manual- How to Conduct a Job Interview) The New York State Human Rights Law prohibits discrimination in employment because of the race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, genetic predisposition (at risk of having a disease or disability) or carrier status (at risk of having children with a disease or disability), marital status or arrest record of a candidate. Further, except for certain positions involving health or safety, or where the individual's presence on the job is essential, the Human Rights Law prohibits employers from disqualifying a candidate because of his or her religious observance requirements. The Human Rights Law also makes it unlawful to deny a candidate employment because he or she has been convicted of one or more criminal offenses or because he or she lacks "good moral character," when such denial is in violation of Article 23-a of the Correction Law.During the job interview, it is unlawful to ask questions that directly or indirectly seek to provide information about certain factors including age, race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, genetic predisposition or carrier status, marital status or arrest record, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification. If the candidate offers unsolicited information regarding any of the above factors, you should tactfully interrupt and refocus the interview.

14. Not Permissible To inquire as to a candidate's preferred title, such as Miss, Ms. or Mrs. To ask the prior name(s) of a candidate whose name has been changed by court order or otherwise. To ask the maiden name of a married woman. Permissible Questions about a change of name, use of an assumed name or nickname, in order to verify the qualifications stated by the candidate. To ask whether the candidate is 18 years of age or older and, if the candidate is not, to require proof of age in the form of a work permit or certificate of age. questions regardingNAME

15. Not Permissible To inquire about a foreign address, which may indicate national origin. To ask the names of and the candidate's relationship to the person(s) with whom he or she resides. Permissible To inquire as to the candidate's place of residence, and how long he or she has been a resident of New York State or a particular city, questions aboutADDRESS OR RESIDENCY

16. Not Permissible To ask a candidate for years of school attendance or dates of graduation. Permissible To inquire into a candidate's academic, vocational or professional education and the schools attended. questions regarding EDUCATION

17. questions regardingMARITAL STATUS Not Permissible • It is not permissible to inquire whether a candidate is single, engaged, married or divorced.

18. Not Permissible For other than a minor, to ask the candidate his or her age, or to require proof of age or date of birth. If the candidate is 18 years of age or older, age cannot be a consideration in the decision to hire the candidate unless age is a bona fide occupational qualification for the position, or a maximum or minimum age is provided for in federal, State or local law. Permissible To ask whether the candidate is 18 years of age or older and, if the candidate is not, to require proof of age in the form of a work permit or certificate of age questionsregarding AGE

19. Not Permissible Questions about the candidate's country of citizenship or the country from which the candidate's parents came. To inquire as to whether the candidate is naturalized or was born in the United States and/or when the candidate acquired citizenship. Permissible To ask the candidate if he or she is legally eligible to work in the United States. To ask the candidate if he or she is a citizen where citizenship is a qualification for the position sought (e.g. probation officers, peace officers). Note: The EEOC Guidelines on Discrimination because of National Origin indicate that consideration of an applicant's citizenship may constitute evidence of discrimination on the basis of national origin. The EEOC provides that, where consideration of citizenship has the purpose or effect of discriminating against persons of a particular nationality, a person who is a lawfully immigrated alien, legally eligible to work, may not be discriminated against on the basis of his or her citizenship. questions regardingCITIZENSHIP

20. Not Permissible To inquire as to the marital status, pregnancy, future child bearing plans, ability to reproduce, advocacy of any form of birth control or family planning, and number and age of children. (Information needed for health insurance and other purposes may be obtained if and when candidate is employed.) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, makes it unlawful to ask candidates about child care arrangements. To inquire as to the number, names, addresses and ages of applicant's spouse, children or relatives. Permissible To ask if any family members are employed by the agency. questions regardingFAMILY or RELATIVES

21. questions regardingSEXUAL ORIENTATION Not Permissible • It is not permissible to make any inquiries regarding sexual orientation.

22. questions regardingMOBILITY, TRAVEL or ABILITY TO GET TO WORK • Inquiries as to a candidate's mobility or ability to travel should only be asked if they are essential to successful job performance. Such inquiries may tend to discriminate against older workers, people with disabilities and women. If the job requires travel or the ability to work at different locations, you may state the job requirements and ask the candidate if he or she is able to meet such requirements.

23. Not Permissible To inquire into a candidate's religious denomination or affiliations, parish or church, or whether they observe certain religious holidays. Permissible To state the requirements of the job in terms of work schedule, such as the days of the week, workday and overtime, and ask the candidate whether he or she is able to meet such requirements. The EEOC cautions against asking questions regarding a candidate's availability to work on Friday evenings, Saturdays or holidays. Note: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and the Human Rights Law require employers and unions to accommodate the religious beliefs of employees and applicants, unless the accommodation would create an undue hardship. questions regardingRELIGION

24. Not Permissible To request a candidate to list all clubs, organizations, societies and lodges to which he or she belongs. Permissible To ask a candidate if he or she is a member of any organization that the candidate believes is relevant to his/her ability to perform the job. questions regardingORGANIZATIONS

25. questions regardingSUPERVISOR or COWORKER GENDER Not Permissible • It is not permissible to ask a candidate how he or she would feel working for or with men or women.

26. DISABILITY OR MEDICALinquiries Not Permissible • The Americans with Disabilities Act makes it unlawful to ask a candidate about the existence, nature or severity of a disability. An employer may not ask a candidate with a disability how he or she became disabled. • Additionally, an employer may not make inquires which would tend to elicit such information from a candidate.For example, you should not ask about a candidate's use of sick leave, or whether he or she has ever filed for workers' compensation benefits or been injured on the job. You should not ask a candidate if he or she has a disability that would interfere with his or her ability to perform the job. Further, you may not ask a candidate if he or she has ever been treated for alcohol or mental health problems, drinks alcohol or takes prescription drugs. • An employer may not ask a candidate how often he or she will require leave for treatment or how often they will need leave as a result of incapacitation because of a disability.

27. DISABILTIES OR MEDICALinquiries- continued Permissible • To inquire about a candidate's ability to perform the functions of a job, with or without reasonable accommodation. You may ask a candidate to describe or demonstrate how he or she would perform the job functions only if all applicants for the job title are asked to do so. Also, you may ask a particular candidate to describe or demonstrate performance if he or she has a known disability that may interfere with or prevent the performance of a job-related function. In either case, if you request a candidate with a disability to demonstrate his or her ability to perform a job-related function, you must provide the reasonable accommodation, if one is needed, or allow the applicant to explain how, with the accommodation, he or she will perform the function. • You may inquire as to a candidate's ability to meet the attendance requirements of the job.

28. questions regardingMEDICAL EXAMINATIONS • The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits employers from conducting medical examinations before an offer of employment has been made. Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, you can require an examination, provided all candidates offered employment in this job title are required to undergo a medical exam.Note: For further information regarding permissible and impermissible disability-related inquiries and medical examinations see EEOC Enforcement Guidance: Pre-employment Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examination under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

29. Not Permissible The EEOC has found that, unless justified by business necessity, it is unlawful to reject candidates based on poor credit ratings because this has a disparate impact on minority groups. Similarly, unless justified by business necessity, do not inquire into a candidate's financial status, such as bankruptcy, car ownership, rental or ownership of a house, length of residence at an address, or past garnishment of wages, for the purpose of making employment decisions, as this may violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and as amended. Permissible To inquire as to a candidate's credit or garnishment record, if bonding is a job requirement questions regarding CREDIT RECORD

30. Not Permissible To ask a candidate if he or she has received a discharge from the military in other than honorable circumstances. To inquire into a candidate's military experience other than in the Armed Forces of the United States or in a State Militia. Permissible To ask a candidate if he or she received a dishonorable discharge. To ask about a candidate's military experience in the Armed Forces of the United States or in a State Militia, or into a candidate's service in a particular branch of the United States Army, Navy, etc. Note: Inquiries regarding military service should be accompanied by a statement that a dishonorable discharge is not an absolute bar to employment and that other factors will be considered in making a final determination to hire or not to hire. questions regarding MILITARY SERVICE

31. Not Permissible The Human Rights Law prohibits inquiring about any prior arrests or criminal accusations not then pending against the candidate that were terminated in the candidate's favor. Note: This prohibition does not apply to an application for employment as a police officer or peace officer. Permissible To inquire as to whether the candidate has ever been convicted of a crime. To inquire as to whether there are currently any arrests or criminal accusations pending against the candidate. Note: No application for employment may be denied on the basis of the candidate's having been convicted of one or more criminal offenses, or by reason of a lack of "good moral character" based upon one or more criminal convictions, unless: there is a direct relationship between the criminal offense and the employment sought; or employing the individual would involve an unreasonable risk to property, or to the safety or welfare of specific individuals or the general public. (Correction Law, section 752) questions regarding CRIMINAL OFFENSES

32. Continued questions regarding CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS In assessing whether to disqualify a candidate on the basis of one or more criminal convictions, consider the following: • The public policy of the State is to encourage the licensure and employment of people previously convicted of one or more criminal offenses. • The specific duties and responsibilities of the position sought. • The nature and seriousness of the offense(s). • The age of the individual at the time of the criminal offense or offenses. • The extent of the individual's rehabilitation and good conduct. • The time that has elapsed since the conviction(s). • The legitimate interest of the agency in protecting property, and the safety and welfare of specific individuals or the general public. • The bearing, if any, the criminal offense(s) will have on the candidate's fitness or ability to perform the job duties and responsibilities. (Correction Law, section 753) Generally, only the Department of Civil Service has the authority to disqualify an applicant or eligible candidate who has been guilty of a crime pursuant to Civil Service Law, Section 50.4.

33. Not Permissible To inquire as to a candidate's native tongue. To inquire as to how a candidate acquired the ability to read, write or speak a foreign language. Permissible To inquire whether a candidate speaks or writes a language fluently, when it is required to successfully perform the duties of the position sought. questions regarding LANGUAGE

34. Not Permissible To ask for a reference from a member of the clergy. Permissible To ask for the names of people willing to provide professional references for the candidate. REFERENCES

35. LICENSES Permissible • To inquire whether a candidate has a valid professional or driver's license, if the license is required for the position sought, and to require that a candidate produce such license.

36. EVALUATION FORMS For each candidate, after conducting the interview, you should take the time to record all observations using a standardized evaluation form. Also on a standardized form, you should record information obtained from reference checks. A sample Evaluation Worksheet is provided on page 53 of this manual. Also included is a sample History and Reference form. Both forms are taken from the NYS Department of Civil Service manual “How to Conduct a Job Interview”.

37. SCHEDULE THE INTERVIEWS • Interviews should be conducted in the shortest period possible. Do not spend weeks or months to complete the interviewing process if it can be done in less time. However... • Do not schedule too many interviews in one day and... • Allow enough time for each interview. A rushed interview will not yield consistently desirable results. • Do not allow unnecessary interruptions during an interview. • Select a comfortable, quiet location and arrange for any reasonable accommodations. Consider any religious observances, distances a candidate must travel, physical accommodations, etc. • Notify the candidates. Include all pertinent information about the job and the interview- - continued on next page-

38. CONTACTING THE CANDIDATES When scheduling interviews and notifying the candidates, all relevant information should be provided. Candidates should be made aware of: • Time of the interview. • Location- directions should be provided. Directions should include not only the building, but also where the candidates should go when they arrive. • Title of the position. • Starting salary. • Position status e.g. permanent, contingent, etc. • Name of the interviewer. • Procedures, phone numbers, etc. for cancellation or rescheduling. • Information regarding policy to provide reasonable accommodation for candidates with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Candidates should be notified of the procedure for requesting such accommodation. • Consequences of not responding or failure to appear. • Any information that you want the candidate to bring including resumes, writing samples, etc.

39. REVIEW AVAILABLE CANDIDATE INFORMATION Avail yourself of all information provided by candidates. Before the interview, review all documentation including applications, resumes, writing samples, etc. This will help you to develop specific questions, plan the interview process, provide you with valuable information to discuss during the interview, and show the candidate that you have reviewed the information that was supplied. When reviewing documentation look for: • Anything that indicates potential job compatibility or incompatibility (prior experience, education, goals, personality, etc.) • Vagueness, inconsistencies or gaps in employment history or education. • Grammar or spelling problems (poor grammar or spelling should not automatically disqualify a candidate. Consider the requirements of the job, conditions under which the written material was prepared, etc.) • Misinterpretation of written or verbal instructions. If the candidate can’t follow instructions during the selection process, this is an indication of a potential similar problem on the job.

40. CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW Prior to the interview, a significant amount of time has already been spent in the selection process. For competitive class positions, an examination was written, the test was administered and scored, a list was established, a Certification of Eligibles was provided to you, interviews were scheduled and you’ve planned for the interviews by evaluating interview criteria, writing questions and reviewing candidate information. After spending all this time and effort, you want to make the most of the interview to assure success. The pre-interview effort could be wasted if the interview is not conducted properly. The following are guidelines for conducting the interview.

41. INTERVIEW GUIDELINES • Be aware of your own attire and overall appearance. You are representing your agency. • Conduct the interview in a private, quiet, comfortable setting. Avoid unnecessary interruptions. • Don’t keep the applicant waiting. • Greet the applicant courteously, calling him/her by name, and ensure that he/she knows your name. • Put the candidate at ease. If you are well prepared, it will help you to relax; if you relax, the applicant will relax. Initiate the interview with friendly opening comments while trying to avoid irrelevant small talk. Don’t appear nervous our harried or be at a loss for words when opening the conversation. • Establish an informal but business-like atmosphere. Make the applicant feel important and that you are glad that he/she is interested in the position. • Explain the importance of an honest, open interview and how the interview is for his/her edification as well as yours. Assure the candidate of confidentiality. You and the candidate must ultimately agree on compatibility.

42. MOREINTERVIEW GUIDELINES • Give an overview of what will be covered in the interview. Inform the candidate that time will be allotted for questions. • The candidate’s time is important, as is yours. Don’t seek information that you already have or conduct a long interview if you are convinced that the candidate is not right for the job. • Ask questions and listen for answers. Good listening skills are essential (discussed further in section “Questioning, Listening, Observing & Note Taking”). • Discuss any questions that arose from your review of candidate information (see page 38). • Describe the job and the organization including functions of the agency, job duties, growth potential, salary and benefits, methods of appraisal, any required training, etc. Always keep all of these factors in mind when conducting the interview. • Ask the candidate if there are any questions. Answer all questions honestly. • Conclude by summarizing the interview, informing the applicant of the next step in the selection process and thanking the candidate for coming. • Do not make a job offer even if you are in a position to do so. All candidates should be considered prior to making any offer.

43. INTERVIEW GUIDELINESCONTINUEDCivil Service Issues • When interviewing candidates on an eligible list, you may not act in any manner that is deceptive, elusive, misleading or otherwise unfair in an attempt to obtain a declination from a candidate or candidates for the purpose of “breaking the list” or “reaching” a candidate with lower standing on the eligible list. • For competitive class positions, candidates on the eligible list have been certified as qualified for all positions in the title; you may not require any additional qualifications or skills during the interview process. • If, during the interview, a candidate indicates that he or she would not be interested in a job offer, you should determine and document the reason. You may have the candidate complete and sign a declination form. The form should include the title and location of the position and the reason(s) for the declination. If this form is not completed, your personnel office should send written confirmation of the declination to to the candidate (see page 62). Declinations must be noted when returning Certifications of Eligibles to the Department of Civil Service.

44. QUESTIONING, LISTENING, OBSERVING & NOTE TAKING • Ask as many open-ended questions as possible. For example, use who, what, why, when, where, how in posing questions. Such questions tend to elicit more information from the candidate. When asking an open-ended question, listening is crucial. Don’t be afraid of silence while the candidate is trying to formulate a thoughtful answer. It may be tempting to try to prompt an answer, and that could limit the information provided by giving away the desired response or eliciting a simple yes or no answer. At times, it may be necessary to interrupt the conversation to keep the interview focused. Don’t let the candidate evade or talk around an important question. • Ask closed, direct questions when trying to elicit precise, factual information. • Don’t dominate the interview. Let the candidate do most of the talking. • Speak at the language level appropriate for the position for which you are interviewing. Avoid jargon. • Don’t “cross examine” the candidate or pry into personal matters.

45. QUESTIONING, LISTENING, OBSERVING & NOTE TAKINGcontinued • Try to encourage the applicant to discuss attitudes, experiences, opinions, abilities, interests and motivations. • Stay focused on the conversation. Never let your mind wander; don’t think ahead to the next question, or appear to lose interest. Occasionally restating, in your own words, the candidate’s response is helpful. • When conducting the interview, observe and note the candidate’s appearance, facial expressions, gestures, pauses and vocal inflections, and other behaviors in reaction to questions posed. Be aware of your own non-verbal signals. See “Non-Verbal Communication”. • Take notes unobtrusively. You need to record information for future reference, but you don’t want your note taking to create a distraction or unnerve the candidate. Tell the candidate at the onset of the interview that you will be taking notes. After the interview, you can expand on the notes and complete interview forms (discussed in later section “After the Interview”).

46. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION Non-verbal communication, or “body language”, is an important source of information. People are often unaware of how much information they are providing through indicators such as eye contact, hand gestures, limb movements, etc. Observation of body language may provide valuable information so it is important, as an interviewer, to be aware of your own body language, in addition to observing the behaviors of the candidate. However, while observation is a potential source of accurate information, it can be very easy to misinterpret the behaviors that we are observing.

47. NON-VERBALCOMMUNICATIONcontinued Facial expressions and other non-verbal communication are indicators of some kind of emotion but, as an interviewer, you still must interpret the emotion. It is a common belief that people who can’t look you in the eye are probably lying. Inversely, more eye contact is considered a sign of honesty, sincerity and interest. This may or may not be the case. “Shifty” eyes may be an indication of deception or may simply reflect nervousness for any number of other reasons. Alternatively, someone making good eye contact may be a well-practiced or pathological liar.

48. NON-VERBAL INDICATORS • Hand Gestures- there are a number of gestures including finger “steepling”, stroking or touching the chin or cheek that are generally seen as indicators that the communicator is thinking, thereby giving an impression of intellectualism. The problem is that these gestures can be learned as a technique specifically to give this impression and may, therefore, indicate pretentiousness or that the individual is trying to appear intellectual.

49. VERBAL INDICATORS Verbal Pauses While pauses may simply be an indication that the candidate is thinking and trying to formulate a response, pauses that are too frequent or too long are a clue of deception. The pauses could indicate that the candidate is lying and did not expect that particular question or did not work out a lie in advance. Other related indicators include stuttering, using “um” or “uh” too frequently etc. Fast Talking If someone speaks at a pace that is too fast, it becomes difficult for the listener to maintain interest and absorb the information. There may also be resistance on the part of some listeners who see fast talking as a sign of deception. Fast talking may be a sign of nervousness and is not a reliable indicator of deception.

50. OTHER INDICATORS • Posture Behavior: Shoulders hunched forward Potential Meanings: lacking interest or feeling inferior Behavior: Rigid Body Posture Potential Meanings: anxious or uptight Behavior: Crossed arms Potential Meanings: closed off or possibly just cold, protecting the body Behavior: Tapping fingers, leg activity Potential Meanings: agitated, anxious, bored Behavior: Fidgeting with hands or objects Potential Meanings: bored or has something to say Behavior: Leaning forward Potential Meanings: interested Behavior: Still Potential Meanings: more interested in what you are saying than anything Behavior: Mirroring Potential Meanings: likes you and wants to be friendly. Trying to increase your comfort level. From “Reading Body Language for Sales Professionals” by Dennis Kyle