“So, you think you have the upper hand in this interview process?” I asked. “Because you are the Hiring Manager and get to make the decision, you think you have the power during the interview?”

Alisha stopped. “Well, it is my decision.”

“When was the last time you conducted an interview for an open position on your team?”

“Nine months ago, we had to replace someone who left,” she replied.

“That’s part of the problem,” I pressed. “Hiring Managers don’t interview candidates often enough to get good at it. And when you do have to hire someone, there are all kinds of distractions that keep you from spending the time required to be fully prepared.”

“No, not at all. I have the time to spend to make sure I do this right,” Alisha pushed back. “I looked at the job description we updated last year for this position. It’s really pretty good. And we have some good resumes to look at.”

“So, you have some interviews scheduled this week?”

“Yes, I do, three appointments set up,” Alisha sounded confident.

“And, you’re prepared to talk to these candidates?”

“Well, yes. I have their resumes. That’s what I key off of. In my mind, I know what I am looking for, and I use their resume as a guide.”

“Did you ever think their resume was created by a professional headhunter, and that they’ve been coached, done role-play, all with the intent of beating you in a game of cat and mouse? If you use the resume to guide you in the interview, you are playing right into hands of the candidate. Is it possible the candidate has done more preparation for this interview than you have?”