In praise of hiring the quiet ones.
Interview processes designed for extroverts consistently miss the calmest people in the room. A short case for redesigning them.
By Roshni
A traditional interview panel is optimised for one skill: the ability to articulate yourself under artificial pressure. It is a poor proxy for almost everything a support worker actually needs to do.
Some of the strongest candidates we place say very little in a first interview. They are watching. They are listening. They are the ones you want on a shift when a young person is escalating.
Two adjustments make a big difference: send interview questions in advance, and include a shift-shadow as part of the process. You will see a completely different candidate — usually the one you want to hire.
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