NEW YORK, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Job interviewers can be taken with charismatic candidates who make a good impression, instead of looking at leadership indicators, a U.S. employment expert says.
Dean Stamoulis, head of Global Executive Assessment Practice for Russell Reynolds Associates in New York, says it is critical to delve beneath the surface to determine candidates' substance and skills.
"What you see is not always what you get and that's why it is important to be able to provide a full assessment of a candidate including traits and characteristics not readily apparent in an interview or with provided background information," Stamoulis says in a statement.
Conversely, some of the best executives do not make great first impressions, and looking deeper than the initial perception can reveal skills needed for the position as well as leadership talents.
"Many interviewers truly do not focus on the key elements needed for the position. It's not that hard but a lot of people don't do it," says Stamoulis, who is author of "Senior Executive Assessment: A Key to Responsible Corporate Governance."
Industrial organizational psychologists can help organizations conduct a job assessment outlining the kinds of skills needed for a position, but Stamoulis also looks for focus, breadth of knowledge and ability to discern how societal and economic changes affect the business.
Balance during an interview is important -- if the candidate only uses superlatives to describe previous performance, then he or she is not showing the ability to be self critical and demonstrating continuous improvement and learning from mistakes, Stamoulis says.
