Every experienced recruiter knows that this job is full of surprises. Even a fairy-tale like hiring process can turn around at any time… You can never tell until it’s over if the process will have a happy ending. Despite the most careful due diligence, our star candidate can turn into Mr. or Mrs. Hyde when taking a detour through a psychotechnical test, a reference check or even a more intense work situation!
Imagine for a minute your ideal candidate, perfect training, experience crowned with success and wide and varied recognitions, additionally with an out of the ordinary personality!… Too good to be true… Every recruiter has at one time or another encountered this specimen and has trembled before the ultimate step of psychotechnical and psychological tests or professional background check that may reveal the black and unsuspected (especially by you!) face of this individual. Coming to this stage, the recruiter wants to have confirmation that the candidate can really walk on water and move mountains. But it often happens that this “saviour” is actually possessed by a malign tendency to crush anyone who happens to get in their way. Although testimonials are rare and don’t make a clamour in the public square, their confidence in the confidentiality of references can sow doubt. The candidate could be a kind of time bomb that can explode at any time. It is therefore up to the recruiter to assess the risk posed by the candidate if hired. Although there’s no such thing as zero risk, the recruiter’s duty is to minimize and know the potential damage. This step requires very specific know-how. Although come prefer to avoid it and go directly to Plan B (if it exists…), they could perhaps miss an exceptional candidate. When we think about Steve Jobs, he was certainly not the best management and leadership model and his former colleagues didn’t have only nice things to say about him. Yet without him, Apple would not have dominated its industry.
In summary, on one hand you have the miracle candidate and on the other you have reports from references or psychotechnical tests that sow doubt and confusion. If one day you find yourself in this situation, be aware that there are not thousands of options. The most sensible is to call your candidate urgently and ask him to tell you about the dark side that has been described to you. It will certainly be a tougher interview but in the end you will have a fair assessment of the profound nature of the beast. Tougher doesn’t mean accusing, by putting the individual on the defensive. On the contrary, put the situation in perspective to him. The more you seek to confront him and put him on the spot, the more defensive he will become. Don’t underestimate him because he is smart enough to see you arriving in your big boots and as well he surely knows about the existence of a certain Mr. Hyde for which he already has horrors. Be enough of an artful dodger to expose his “frosty” side and see how it appears and if it’s acceptable in the long term.
First of all, allow enough time for this delicate meeting, always in person. Establish an atmosphere of confidence, calm and conducive to genuine discussion and be prepared to revisit “the good, the bad and the ugly!” It’s only after a period of cordial discussion about the position, the various steps taken to this point and the real interest which you have shown in his candidacy (very important to reassure him on his appeal) that you will slowly (but surely) bring out the existence of this other hidden personality. Obviously, at one time or another the conversation is going to take a more difficult turn, when you address something that will make him uncomfortable. His stress level will increase because he will inevitable perceive the challenge of being revealed in a less flattering light and risk losing the coveted job. It’s exactly at this point that you can have a good idea of his way of handling delicate situations and difficult conversations. I remember very clearly an interview of this type with a manager known more for his vision and his genius than for his unfortunate tendency to be rather harsh and sharp when his employees did not deliver results quickly enough. The question is: “Are you able to live with his faults and what kind of people will he surround himself with?”
During the meeting, restate the values that drive your organization or department. Take care to emphasize what factors are important to succeed in the position. Whether teamwork through collaboration and mutual support, a sense of commitment in the work, long hours and the amount of travel, customer services, etc… Be aware that Mr. Hyde can have the guise of harassing a colleague, a micro-manager, rather than a too conciliatory manager who doesn’t know how to say no and who will be eaten alive by his staff. Everything depends on what you need and the values of your organization. If you are in a highly competitive environment where you have to know how to scrap, you may have greater need of a valiant warrior than a gentle pacifist. What can appear darker for some organizations can be an asset for others.
Ask the candidate to tell you about his Mr. Hyde. “We’ve heard of a certain Mr. Hyde… have you ever met him? Is it possible that in certain specific and exceptional situations, he might appear? Please tell us about your own case or a related case – sometimes I have a tendency to be controlling. In fact, I demand perfection so much and work so well done that it sometimes makes me impatient…”. In short, open the door, lead him by the hand. In most cases, the person will recognize the existence of this less glamorous double personality.
Your work will then be to check if he is sufficiently aware to control it and if he has the ability to tame the ferocious animal. No one is perfect and the ideal candidate doesn’t exist, any more than what you have to offer has no bad sides…. The key thing is to know what to expect and especially how to hire a Dr. Jekyll who has the antidote at hand to be able to deal with any subversive appearance of a Mr. Hyde in a panic. Being aware of his dark side is fifty percent of the work done. The recruiter must know the difference between a domesticated Mr. Hyde and a Mr. Hyde in the wild, which is now his asset. And you, dear recruiter, what trait is your inner devil hiding in?