The process of hiring typically has a lot of phases to it. Basically, we all want to do what we can to make sure we make good decisions when hiring. This takes trust on many levels. The question is: Who do you trust?

When you look at resumes, you trust that a majority of the information is accurate and truthful. OK, you trust that MOST of the information is pretty close, with some allowance for exaggeration, right?

When you interview someone, you trust that they are answering truthfully when they say, "yes, I've done that," or, "yes I can do this job." You ask questions and trust yourself that you've asked the right questions and probed enough to make a good decision.

REWIND: WHO DO YOU TRUST?

But let's go back to the recruiter who helped you find the resume of the candidate and setup the interview. Do you trust that they did a good job in finding you the right person?

I ask this because if you DO have a recruiter you can trust, think about how much less you have to trust in all the other areas I mentioned above. How cool would that be?

When you have a recruiter you can trust, you have the opportunity to ask questions about how the candidate fits into your culture, their work style and maybe some technical questions that have a strong bearing on your department, your project or your company.

Think about it - How much more relaxed are you when you talk to someone you already know and trust? Or, if you know someone in sales (or were ever in sales yourself), ask the salesperson what the difference is between a "cold" sales call, and a "warm" one.

A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE

When I'm interviewing someone, I can usually tell within the first 10 minutes where things are going and if the recruiter has done their job. If the recruiter has done a good job, everything changes. At that point I feel free to relax and ask what I really want to ask, not just qualifying questions.

Now I'm not saying you should blindly trust your recruiter, but looking at resumes and interviewing candidates can be a substantially different experience if you have a recruiter you can trust.

So, think about how much you trust your recruiter. If you do, I can tell you from experience, that it's a very liberating experience. Interviews will be much more productive, and you can have more trust in your own hiring decisions.