The three "be-ings"

Getting in the right mindset for your interview is critical for success. Where the five "do-ings" describe what you actually do during an interview, the three "be-ings" describe the intentional mindset you take on for really high performance: curiosity, consistency and approachability.

Be curious

People have phenomenal stories. One of the best things about being a great interviewer is that you get to learn these stories: how they've been successful over the course of their life, how they haven't been successful, and what different managers have done with them and for them to develop and improve them. All of that is learning, and these great stories exist. If you show up as someone who is interested in learning these stories, you will get them.

Be consistent

If you ask a question, always get an answer. And be consistent in the way you hear the answer.

Think of a small chip in a car windshield. Fix it that night and the glass is fine. Ignore it and the crack spreads until the whole windshield goes. An interview is the same. If a candidate sidesteps a question because the story is a negative one, and you let them get away with it, even on an early job that doesn't matter much, they learn that your questions are optional. They will answer the ones they want and not the ones they don't. So every time you ask a question, make sure you get an answer.

Hear every answer the same way: never voting, never judging. You got fired? Okay. You won a major award? Okay.

Be approachable

Be the person you would want to tell your story to. This does not mean being a pushover or letting the candidate drive the interview. But at the end of this process, you want this person to accept the job if you offer it. So be friendly and engaging, and build the relationship during the interview as much as you evaluate the candidate.