My initial interest in face reading was generated by jury selection. I had discovered while practicing law that the words coming out of people’s mouths were often the least reliable information received, while the reactions that showed up on people’s faces were the most reliable. I went on to discover that not only are many intentions and attitudes revealed on the face, but people’s entire life histories are, too.
At the most basic level, we are all face readers. It is how we recognize a familiar face, and we all know the difference between a smile and a frown. However, on a deeper, subconscious level we also pick up feelings about each other that we usually don’t realize we gleaned from something on the face. I wrote the book Amazing Face Reading to serve as a tool to bring that unconscious awareness to light.
One challenge we occasionally face when interviewing is unconscious face reading. While almost no one would openly admit it, on an unconscious level we often stereotype each other based on our personal life experiences. For example, if your favorite uncle was a big guy with a beard, on an unconscious level you may be partial to big guys with beards. If there was a mean, angry man next door when you were a child and he was a big guy with a beard, you might develop the opposite reaction. Face reading is a tool that can help us see each other more objectively, without stereotyping, while providing useful information.
Here are a few tips on what you can see on a person’s face during the interview process. This added awareness will not only create a deeper understanding of others, but also will help you find the right person for the right job.
Spotting a Communication Breakdown
How can you identify failed communication? Watch the eyes. When we are interested, attentive and truly hearing what the other person is saying, there is a physiological response that shows on our faces: our eyes open up to let in more light. By watching the bottom eyelids (right where the bottom eyelashes attach) you can quickly discern a person’s interest and attentiveness.
If you notice that a person’s bottom lids are round and the eyes are very open, it indicates interest and engagement. If, however, you suddenly see those bottom lids go flat or straight, at that very moment the person has just gone internal. Even though he may still be nodding his head, he is actually having a hidden conversation with himself in which he is analyzing or judging your words. The person may have become wary, suspicious or guarded about what you just said.
What a powerful tool, to be able to see the exact moment a person mentally left. You can then say, “You look like you might be having a problem with that.” How many times have you spoken with people and thought they understood what you said, only to discover later that they didn’t get it? Being able to spot these breakdowns when they occur not only prevents confusion and miscommunication, it will also make people feel truly seen and understood.
Presentation Style
Some people are good listeners and can easily retain what they hear. Other people take in information best when they can see it. For example, if you are interviewing someone with small ears, the person needs to see what you are talking about. Show the charts and diagrams, drag out the spreadsheet or use the PowerPoint. It is most effective to talk to these people in visual terms: “Where do you see yourself in five years?” or “How does this look to you?” or “I see what you mean.” Additionally, giving them an opportunity to write down information will also help them understand and retain what you said. Small-eared people appreciate it when you paint a verbal picture of what you are trying to communicate. Communication is always most effective when you can understand and operate within a person’s perceptional comfort zone.
Understanding at a Glance
One of the main purposes of any face-to-face interview is to develop a better understanding of the person being interviewed. Face reading takes understanding people to the next level, but where do you look first? A glance at the eyebrows can give you instant information about a person’s thinking style.
Round eyebrows belong to a people person. These people understand the world in terms of their connection with others and feel most comfortable when they can understand how the information being presented works in the real world. They work best when they can work with other people, and from an eyebrow standpoint, others will perceive them as nice people. They appreciate on-the-job training and being able to see how the job was done in the past. A human resources manager position is an example of a natural fit for this type of person.
Straight eyebrows belong to fact people who prefer hard data. They are not as interested in seeing how someone did the job; they are more interested in the facts. They prefer to cut to the chase: “This will be your starting salary, there will be a review in six months, and we give performance raises.” They are more focused on the task and less on other people. They will be perceived by others as not being as emotionally sensitive. Information technology experts often have straight eyebrows.
Finally, angled eyebrows belong to the control people, those who step back to check things out. I call these the “don’t jack with me eyebrows” because the natural human response to this eyebrow shape is a feeling of alarm or intimidation. Angled-eyebrow people are impressed with neither people nor facts. A good approach when interviewing these people is to ask what they are looking for in a job before presenting them with any information. They are often in positions of authority because of the natural reluctance other people have to challenge their eyebrows. Have you checked the shape of the boss’s eyebrows lately?
Creating a Win-Win by a Nose
In hiring, it is not enough to merely find a person who can perform the job. The challenge is in finding a person who really enjoys that particular type of work. We all perform better when the work and the environment are compatible with our personal work style, but how can we spot that compatibility in an interview? Part of the answer is as plain as the nose on your face.
We have all heard the expression, “You have been keeping your nose to the grindstone” to describe someone who is a hard worker. If you were to literally put your nose to a grindstone, you would end up with a bobbed-off nose. In face reading, people with very small noses are people who are motivated and have a capacity for hard work. This is not because they like hard work anymore than anyone else; it is because their life experience has shown them that they can often finish a task faster than they could explain it to someone else. They also know that if they do it themselves, they will not have to worry about whether or not the task was done correctly. If you need someone who can be a real worker bee, check out the nose size.
People with a high nose bridge enjoy an environment where they can work independently without interruption or interference from others. Once people with a high nose ridge start a task, they may often view additional suggestions or interruptions as unnecessary micromanagement. They like getting the credit for their individual effort and knowing that their finished work product had an impact. If forced to work in a crowded room full of talking people or in situations where their work is cut from the project and not used or needed, they will be miserable.
On the other hand, people with a low or no nose ridge (where the cheeks are not separated by a high ridge) usually enjoy working in a room full of people so they can see and talk to others. To them it is important to feel like they are part of a team effort, and they want the chance to interact. They would suffer if they were forced to work all day in a cubicle or a room where they never saw or spoke with another person.
Long after they forget what they were told, customers and co-workers will remember how they were treated, and if those they interact with actually connect on a personal level, the memory will be a positive, meaningful one. Due to advances in technology, globalization and other related trends, our business interactions have become more and more depersonalized, resulting in a loss of that personal connection. Face reading reintroduces the personal touch that allows people to feel seen, heard and validated. Face reading also helps eliminate the stereotyping that creates barriers to our true understanding of another person, and finally, it restores the human in human interactions.
Mac Fulfer
Author of Amazing Face Reading
3604 W. 6th St.
Ft. Worth, TX 76107
(817) 336-3445
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