In this issue:

Ever wonder why great candidates sometimes fall apart in interviews?

Blame the brain. High-stress interviews can trigger an amygdala hijack—shutting down memory, clarity, and confidence right when candidates need them most. But with the right structure and psychological safety, you can flip the script and actually get the best out of people.

That’s exactly what I unpack in Part 3 of “Your Brain on Recruiting.” You’ll never run interviews the same way again.

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The HR Blotter

Hotel coffee has punched way above its weight—gone are the sachets; now artisan roasters, espresso bars, and lobby social hubs are stealing the show. Once just an afterthought, caffeine is now a deliberate, curated luxury, a signal to guests that you know quality, taste, and that community matters. Does better coffee = better candidate experience? I don’t know. Maybe.

Good prompts aren't fluff, they’re the difference between auto‑pilot drivel and laser‑sharp AI results. Andrew Bolis drops five foolproof frameworks to level up your prompt game. Bookmark it and quit shooting blanks. Bang!

Anthropology grads top the unemployment charts at a brutal 9.4%, while fine arts, foreign languages, and philosophy trail close behind in the race to irrelevance—20 degrees dead‑ended for job seekers according to Visual Capitalist’s latest ranking. It’s a sobering leaderboard that proves not every degree is a golden ticket—and some are basically a free education in unemployment.

Twenty years ago at WWDC, Steve Jobs dodged a brutal public attack with calm finesse. Never defensive. Never rattled. He simply listened, paused, then replied with quiet authority that shut the room down. His moment wasn’t about comebacks, it was about owning the room under fire, showing that true leadership isn’t loud—it’s unshakeable cool. Take notes.

AI isn’t just on our screens—it’s rewiring how we talk, yanking out quirks and regional flair until everyone’s spouting the same polished, soulless script. It’s not just convenience, it’s a cultural flattening that risks turning every conversation into a bland, cookie‑cutter echo. What happens when all our interviews begin with “I hope this meeting finds you well?”

Fewer new hires are landing jobs fast—just 41% in under a month—and most say the process sucks, with job satisfaction cratering at 35%. Candidates are picking perks over pay, pushing back with counteroffers, and quietly letting AI do the dirty work: résumés, prep, and maybe the job itself.

Candidate deception is exploding with fake résumés, AI-generated cover letters, and masked criminal records are slipping through the cracks, leaving employers blindsided. Nine in ten companies admit they’ve been duped, yet most are still sleepwalking through verification like it’s 1999.

$100,000,000.00 sign on bonus! Need I say more?

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Your Brain on Recruiting (Part 3): Neural Meltdown—What Interviews Really Do to Candidates

Let's set the scene.

Candidate walks in. Hands slightly sweaty. Smile a little too wide. Tries to look calm, but inside? The brain's already launched DEFCON 1.

This isn't a "conversation." It's a high-stakes social evaluation. And the brain knows it.

Forget the résumé for a second. What you're looking at is a person whose prefrontal cortex (the part responsible for logic, planning, memory) is at war with their limbic system (fear, threat detection, panic).

And if you don't handle your interview like a human instead of a clipboard, that brain's going to short-circuit before they finish their first sentence.

Let's talk about what really happens in an interview—and how to stop turning candidates into mush.

Let's Start with the Obvious: Interviews Are Threats

Science has a name for it: amygdala hijack.

That's what happens when someone's fear center takes over. Blood flow shifts away from the thinking brain. You know, the part they were planning to use to impress you.

Heart rate spikes. Muscles tighten. Memory access goes haywire. And that brilliant answer they rehearsed? Gone. Vaporized by stress hormones.

This is not a "nerves" problem. It's a neurological safety system doing its job.

Candidates don't bomb interviews because they're dumb. They bomb because you made them feel unsafe.

Psychological Safety: Not Just for Employees

We talk about creating psychological safety for teams, but ignore it in interviews.

That's backwards.

If your candidate feels like they're on trial, guess what kind of answers you're gonna get? Guarded. Canned. Flat.

But when they feel safe? The brain stays online. The stories come out. Personality shows up. Authenticity sneaks in.

So how do you build safety fast?

Start with eye contact and a smile. Seriously.

Tell them what's about to happen before it happens. "We'll talk about past work, then run through a scenario, then leave time for your questions."

Acknowledge the awkwardness. "We know interviews can be weird. We're just here to talk."

Give the brain a roadmap. It stops scanning for danger and starts engaging.

Rapport Isn't Fluff—It's a Biological Shortcut

You've got 60 minutes to get someone's guard down and find out who they are. You think that's gonna happen through a script?

Warmth is not optional.

When two people connect—even briefly—the brain releases oxytocin, the trust hormone. Just a sliver of it changes how someone interprets your tone, your follow-up questions, your feedback.

Start with small stuff:

"How was your weekend?" (Yes, really.)

"What caught your eye about this role?"

"I saw on your resume you worked on X. That's wild—I used to be in that world."

Now you're not "the company." You're a person. And people open up to people.

Structured Interviews = Fair Brains, Clear Decisions

Here's where structure matters.

Unstructured interviews might feel more casual, but the brain prefers fairness. It craves it, actually.

If one candidate gets a technical deep-dive and another gets softballs, the one who feels blindsided will walk away angry—even if they did well.

And get this: The brain's insular cortex reacts to unfair treatment the same way it reacts to rotten smells. You've basically triggered the disgust response.

So yeah. Fair = not just ethical. It's neurological hygiene.

Use consistent questions. Use rubrics. Tell candidates what you're evaluating. Their brains—and your data—will thank you.

Praise Isn't Bias—It's Brain Fuel

You don't have to be robotic to be objective.

When a candidate nails something, say so. "That's a great example." "I like how you broke that down." "You're making me rethink how we do that."

Why? Because praise activates the brain's reward center. It boosts confidence and helps people get into flow—that sweet spot where they're thinking clearly and feeling competent.

Think of it like kindling. Light them up a little early, and the whole interview burns cleaner.

What to Do When a Candidate Freezes

Everyone's had the moment.

They blank. They choke. They forget the thing they know cold.

This is where you separate the good interviewers from the lazy ones.

Bad interviewer: Stares silently, scribbles notes.
Good interviewer: "Take a second, no rush. Want to come back to that one?"

That simple shift brings the prefrontal cortex back online. The brain breathes. The candidate often recovers.

And if they don't? At least you saw how they handled a tough moment with some humanity.

You're Not Just Evaluating—You're Broadcasting

The way you run an interview tells candidates how you treat people.

If you're late, distracted, or vague? That's a preview of your management style.

If your panel is cold and uncoordinated? That's a red flag about culture.

If the candidate leaves feeling like a number? That's your brand.

And here's the kicker: The brain stores emotional experiences better than logical ones.

So candidates might forget the name of your ATS. But they'll remember how you made them feel. (But Maya already told you that.)

Final Thought: Interviews Are Stressful. They Don't Have to Be Cruel.

This isn't about hand-holding. It's about signal clarity.

Your interview should give the candidate every opportunity to shine, not survive. When you reduce threat and build trust, the brain kicks into gear. You get real data. They get a real shot.

And when it's over, you both walk away smarter about whether it's a fit.

Don't make the process the obstacle. Make it the reveal.

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The Fine Print

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One more thing before I go...

Coming up in Part 4 of the series: the moment candidates remember most.

Spoiler—it’s not the job posting. It’s not even the interview. It’s how you end the experience. The offer. The rejection. The first day.

In this final chapter, I break down how the brain processes closure, fairness, and belonging—and why your final 10% might be sabotaging everything else.

Stay subscribed. You’ll want this one.

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