As an interviewer it is your role to determine if the candidate is a good fit not only for the job but also for your company. A concern that we often don’t think about is whether or not the potential employee is being honest.

Of course, everyone exaggerates their experience to one degree or another, but extreme dishonesty can become a real challenge once the employee is hired. So how can you evaluate their honesty in an interview?

Ask Them

Unless there is something that is glaring, and that you know the correct answer for, don’t be confrontational. But what you can do is let them know you will be checking references and is there anything on their resume that they would like to clarify for you. When you’re honest with them, you may be surprised about how they will respond.

Verify the Details

After you let them know you’ll be checking references, follow through on that. And don’t just treat them as a formality and verify dates of employment. References can be a tough nut to crack, but they are the most critical part of the candidate search that companies tend to ignore. Get the details from at least two managers.

Offer Skills Testing

Another way to find out if a candidate knows what they say they know is to provide skills testing. There are a number of available software packages that will test a candidate’s knowledge on everything from basic Microsoft Word up to more demanding technological information. When you partner with a staffing agency, they will also provide this service.

Trust Your Instinct

Lastly, if you feel something is off about a candidate it is perfectly okay to trust your instincts. Red flags are meant to be a warning sign and if you ignore them you may find yourself in a more complicated situation. If there is anything about what they’re telling you that sounds wrong, it is within your right to move on to the next candidate.

Are you in the market for new, superstar employees in 2016?

StaffEx, premier Tampa Florida staffing agency, can help! Contact us today for additional support with your hiring needs.