Getting back to basics: Why genuine conversation is still our best recruiting tool.

At our quarterly town hall last week, the main topic of conversation was one that’s keeping a lot of recruiters up at night: candidate verification and fraud.

We shared plenty of tips, tricks, and tools to mitigate the risks. But as we dug deeper into the issue, a profound but simple realization emerged. We can’t control everything a candidate does or submits...BUT we have complete control over how we conduct our interviews.

Instead of getting swept away by fear tactics or over-relying on automated verification screens, our best defense is actually going back to basics: genuine, human-to-human conversation.

To get to the absolute heart of a candidate's capabilities, we are focusing on one major shift in our interview process:

Moving away from: "What have you done?" (The run-of-the-mill Q&A that anyone can memorize or script).
Moving toward: "How do you think?" and "How would you approach this problem?" (Critical thinking questions that require real-time, engaged dialogue).

When we turn an interview from a rigid checklist into a dynamic conversation, the truth naturally surfaces. You stop just reading their resume back to them and start seeing how they process information, adapt to friction, and solve actual problems.

In a hiring landscape increasingly worried about AI-generated applications and resume padding, authentic human connection remains our most powerful and reliable tool.

How is your team adapting your interview questions to focus more on critical thinking and real engagement? We’d love to hear your thoughts below!