If you’re a regular WorkPuzzle reader, you may remember us talking about “perception of fit.”  We’ve covered this topic numerous times because researchers have demonstrated it’s the number one factor that causes individuals to change careers.

The principle behind this research is simple:  When individuals perceive (ie. mostly feelings) they are a fit in your organization, they start to rationalize or talk themselves into all the other reasons necessary to make a change. 

If a candidate does not quickly experience a feeling of “I belong here,” the rest of the recruiting process will be an uphill battle.  It usually ends with the candidate disengaging regardless of the logical reasons working in our organization may be the best thing for their careers.

So, this begs the question:

How does a hiring manger get candidates to perceive they are a fit in his or her organization?

…by building quick rapport with the candidate during an initial interview.

If a candidate walks out of a first meeting with you and thinks, “I really like this person. I feel like I’ve just met someone who understands me and my situation,”  the individual can’t help but feel they would be a potential fit on your team.

How do you build quick rapport with a candidate whom you’ve most likely just met for the first time?

This will be our topic for the next few WorkPuzzles.  The techniques we’ll discuss do not just apply to recruiting, they can be applied to any situation where relationships are key to success.

What the FBI can Teach you about Recruiting.

Our instruction on this topic comes from an unlikely source—Robin Dreeke, the director of the FBI’s elite Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis program.  It may not seem obvious, but FBI agents recruit spies and confidential human sources in the agencies efforts to thwart our country’s adversaries.

Starting in 1997, Robin learned that building quick rapport was not only going to be critical to his job success, but also his survival.  In his recent book, he outlines some of the techniques he uses to connect with strangers, build trust, and get them to feel like part of his team.

While I won’t have time to share all of Robin’s secrets (all of which are valuable), I will select a few I think are most applicable to the real estate recruiting process.

Guideline #1 for Building Quick Rapport:  Listen without Judging. 

Here is part of a recent interview Eric Barker did with Robin:

The number one strategy I constantly keep in the forefront of my mind with everyone I talk to is non-judgmental validation. Seek someone else’s thoughts and opinions without judging them. People do not want to be judged in any thought or opinion that they have or in any action that they take.

It doesn’t mean you agree with someone. Validation is taking the time to understand what their needs, wants, dreams and aspirations are.

As you may know, people have a strong desire to talk about themselves.  Given the opportunity, individuals will indulge in this pleasure and trust those who facilitate its accomplishment.  This leads to the building of quick  rapport.

Feeling judged short-circuits this process.  When a person starts to feel judged, they quickly retreat into a “fight or flight” mode of thinking.  This ruins rapport building because it keeps your candidates from talking about their favorite subject—themselves.

Do a quick inventory of your interview style.  How many times do you listen to a candidate’s experiences and then give your opinion or perspective on what they’ve said?  This is judging.

People who are masters at building rapport don’t do this.  Instead, they validate.  There will be time later in the relationship to share your opinions, but not during the initial interview.

There will be more to come on building rapport.  It’s not only a critical ingredient in the recruiting process, but it’s also a skill that will be helpful in other areas of your professional and personal lives.

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