How to apply emotional intelligence when conducting interviews

Interviewing candidates can be a challenging and complex task for many recruiters and HR managers. In addition to evaluating the candidates' technical skills, it is also important to consider their interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team. In this sense, emotional intelligence can be a valuable tool to assess the emotional competencies of candidates during an interview.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions and the emotions of others. This can be applied to the interview process to assess the candidate's ability to handle challenging situations, work in a team, and remain calm under pressure.

Below are some tips on how to apply emotional intelligence when conducting interviews:

1. Start with open-ended questions: By asking open-ended questions, you encourage the candidate to share their emotions and feelings about their experience and skills. This can help assess how they deal with difficult situations and how they communicate with others.
2. Observe body language: The candidate's body language can provide valuable insights into their emotions and emotional reactions. Pay attention to gestures, facial expressions, and posture during the interview.
3. Ask situational questions: Ask the candidate how they handled tricky situations in the past. This can help you evaluate how they deal with stress and pressure and how they solve problems in challenging situations.
4. Use active listening: Listen attentively to the candidate's answers and ask follow-up questions to gather more information. This shows the candidate that you are interested in understanding their perspectives and emotions.
5. Be empathetic: Show empathy during the interview by putting yourself in the candidate's shoes and understanding their perspectives and emotions. This can help establish a connection with the candidate and assess their ability to work well in a team.

By applying emotional intelligence in interviews, you can gain valuable insights into the candidates' interpersonal and emotional skills. This can help you make more informed decisions about who to hire and build a strong, cohesive team. Additionally, by using emotional intelligence in interviews, you can also improve your own interpersonal and communication skills, which can be useful in other aspects of your career.