21/05/2026
"His technical test score was a perfect 10/10. But his interview performance was a 2/10.
That was the blunt feedback a technical lead gave me last week about a candidate we were interviewing for a crucial development role.
The hiring manager was ready to hit "reject." On paper and on the screen, the candidate seemed closed off, gave one-word answers, and stumbled over basic introductory questions. The team assumed he lacked confidence and collaboration skills.
But as HR, our job isn't just to check off boxes on a scorecard. It's to understand *why* a candidate is reacting a certain way.
I decided to schedule a quick, informal follow-up chat with him before making the final call. No interview panels, no technical jargon—just a casual conversation.
Within five minutes, the real story came out.
English wasn't his first language. He had spent months practicing his spoken English, but the immense pressure of a high-stakes corporate interview panel had caused him to freeze up. He was so terrified of making a grammatical mistake that he chose to say almost nothing at all.
When we shifted the conversation to what he was passionate about—the actual logic behind his perfect test score—his entire demeanor changed. His eyes lit up. He became articulate, passionate, and incredibly clear.
He didn't lack capability; he just lacked a supportive environment to show it.
I went back to the hiring team with a proposal: *"We are hiring a brilliant engineer, not a public speaker. Let's give him a chance to work with the team on a small, real-time problem instead of grilling him with standard Q&A."*
They agreed. Freed from the pressure of the "traditional" interview setup, he absolutely crushed the practical session. The team saw his true potential, and we extended the offer yesterday.
**The HR Takeaway:**
An interview is a highly artificial environment. Some of the most brilliant minds are introverts or individuals fighting a language barrier, and they will never shine in a standard corporate interrogation setup.
If we want to build diverse, high-performing teams, we have to stop confusing "good communication" with "smooth talking," and start building interview processes that allow true talent to be seen.
**To my network:** Have you ever completely changed your mind about a candidate after changing the format of the interview? How do you ensure you aren't missing out on brilliant tech talent due to language or interview anxiety? Let's discuss!