Keeping an interview on track
Most people don't interrupt because they were taught that it is rude. And it is rude to interrupt someone: to stop them in their train of thought for your own purposes.
Redirecting is different. When a candidate goes down a long story that no longer helps them, you redirect them to a more useful place. Look at it from their side. They carved out a big part of their day to be with you and to put their best foot forward. If you smile and nod while they tell a long story that has nothing to do with the job, that is the rude thing to do.
The less rude thing is to say something like:
That's a great story. Let me go to a different part of the topic, so we get the full value out of our time together.
Candidates usually thank you for it. They felt trapped in that line of thought too.
To make this easy:
- Ask permission at the start. When you set the stage, ask the candidate if you may steer them to keep the interview on time.
- Use "Fireworks" with a talker. Ask for the top three, four or five headlines, then choose the ones that matter most to your Cipher. See What's the best way to ask the questions?
- Come back to the question. If the candidate did not answer, ask again or use the question's prompts. See What is a question prompt?