The art of the interview: From hiring to fraud detection and everyday conversation

The interview is far more than a hiring ritual. It is one of the most powerful tools we have for understanding people—whether we are selecting a new employee, investigating fraud, conducting an internal inquiry, or simply trying to communicate better in everyday life.

Behind every conversation, there is information that words alone cannot reveal. The real value of an interview lies in decoding human behaviour: tone of voice, micro-expressions, body movement, and the subtle signals that arise long before someone speaks.

Hiring: The Information Behind the Answers

During a recruitment interview, the goal is not only to confirm skills and experience. It is to understand attitude, intention, and authenticity. A candidate may have a flawless CV, yet their non-verbal responses may indicate a lack of motivation, an excessive desire to impress, or attempts to hide information.

The “invisible” data is often the most accurate.

Interrogation & Fraud Detection: The Weight of Small Details

In investigative contexts, small inconsistencies between spoken and non-spoken communication can determine the success of an inquiry. Stress indicators, micro-pauses, vocal changes, or mismatched facial expressions provide critical behavioural evidence.

What is not said often matters more than what is said.

Everyday Communication: The Role of Empathy

Even in informal conversations, real understanding requires more than listening to words. Recognising when someone is honest, when they are masking stress, or when something is wrong is fundamental to building meaningful, trustworthy relationships.

Non-Verbal Communication & Emotional Intelligence: The Two Essential Pillars

Non-verbal communication includes every behavioural element beyond speech — gestures, posture, gaze, and interpersonal distance. Emotional intelligence, on the other hand, is the ability to understand and regulate emotions, both our own and others’.

Without emotional intelligence, non-verbal signals can easily be misread. With proper training, they become a structured, reliable source of insight.

Why Training Is Essential

Human behaviour decoding, non-verbal analysis and emotional intelligence are not innate skills. They require structured training, practice, and expert feedback.

Developing these abilities leads to:

• Stronger interpersonal relationships

• Better hiring decisions

• Reduced risk of deception

• Authentic and resilient professional collaborations

• Higher self-awareness under stress

The interview is both an art and a science.

Investing in behavioural observation, analytical thinking, and empathetic communication equips us with a decisive advantage — in business and in life.