EchoSignal

Introduction

In the employment process, human resources well trained in Forensic Statement & Linguistic Analysis (FSLA) are invaluable. Some companies will invest in training for their own HR professionals, whilst other companies will sub-contract with independent analysts for discernment.

Employment Analysis is a specialised form of Advanced Analysis, used by the FBI in analysing a person's words — be it written or spoken — which seeks to help businesses hire the best candidate whilst avoiding the pitfalls associated in hiring the wrong people.

What companies observe

Companies which regularly utilise Employment Analysis and the Employment Questionnaire observe that:

Companies which utilise Employment Analysis save money, stress and their own reputation. These companies hire the best and brightest from their pool of Applicants and see improvement in sales and morale, as well as reduced staff turnover.

Methodology

First, the amount of space we allow for each answer sets the expectation for the information to be provided. For example, we only use a single line for Question 4 as it is a binary 'Yes' or 'No' question and we are not looking for any explanation. We wish to lock the Applicant into an answer, and then Question 5 forces them to look at the answer to Question 4 and speak to it — knowing that we do not like to lie about our lies.

We need to know the answers to the questions we are not allowed to ask, if we wish to avoid hiring potentially problematic candidates. The Questionnaire levels the playing field in a legally sound, non-intrusive manner. It allows an Applicant who wants the position to explain, without any pressure, why they should be hired.

We can design the Questionnaire for or with a client company. The Questionnaire gets to the truth.

1. Tell us everything you wish us to know about you.

Allows the Applicant to tell you why you should hire them, without pressure and without influence.

• We leave a full A4 page because this question is the most important of all.
• People reveal their priorities here. What Applicants say and what they mean can be completely at odds.
• We look for the order, priority, language chosen and deception.
• We do not ask for personal information, but the candidate is free to provide it. The best and brightest reveal their problems, potential psychological issues and their agendas, if an agenda is present.
• Refusal to follow the direction is revealing in itself - perhaps a problem following directions, or even directives from superiors.

We consider:

• There is no pressure on the Applicant
• The Applicant gets to choose their own words
• The Applicant gets to say whatever they wish to say. Whatever is important to them is revealed. The priority will be in their order and in the information that they provide

We can also learn:

• Did the Applicant care enough to spell check their response?
• If handwritten, is it neat and legible?
• Where did the Applicant begin? This reflects their priorities.

2. In your entire life, did you ever tell a lie to get out of trouble?

The only truthful answer is "Yes". We want the Applicant to say Yes and then tell us the life lessons learned.

• Enough space is left to provoke a lengthier response - just enough to signal "we must be looking for something here". This tests their intelligence.
• We must see three specific elements about deception and theft in the subject's own words.
• When all three elements are present, the company is given a layer of protection: some form of personal restraint against theft and deception exists within the employee.
• Lessons learned in childhood are often the strongest. Lessons learned in adulthood are not habitual and are harder to learn.

We must see, in the subject's own words, three specific elements about deception and theft:

• That deception or theft has negative external consequences — such as loss of employment, loss of income and even loss of freedom
• That deception or theft has negative internal consequences — the subject experiences internal distress of some form
• That the subject feels human empathy for victims of their deception or theft — lying and theft have real victims who suffer

We can also learn:

• Are the life lessons rooted in childhood (strongest) or in adulthood (harder to learn)?

3. Have you ever stolen from an employer?

Discerns those Applicants who demonstrate an understanding of why the question is asked.

• Everyone has taken an envelope or "paper clip" from work, inadvertently.
• The truthful person acknowledges those things as being wrong and seeks to change them.
• The liar feels justified and well-rehearsed. Liars will reveal themselves in their deception.

4. Is everything you have written here and on your application the truth?

Locks the Applicant into their answer. A binary question - no explanation is sought.

• The amount of space allowed sets the expectation for the information to be provided. A single line signals a binary answer.
• We wish to lock the Applicant into an answer, because Question 5 then forces them to look at it and speak to it.
• We do not like to lie about our lies.

5. If yes, tell us one reason why we should believe you.

Forces the Applicant to look at the answer to Question 4 and speak to it.

• The best answer is always "Because I told the truth".
• Words that contain the word "lie" in any form are statistically closer to deception than truthfulness.

6. What is honesty and why is it important in our business?

The expected response is for the Applicant to explain what honesty means to them and then relate it to the business.

• Two parts are expected: a definition of honesty, and the application of it to this business.
• An answer that defines honesty but never reaches the business has answered only half the question.

Beyond deception detection

Employment Analysis is advanced analysis that goes well beyond deception detection. What we learn before offering someone an interview informs the interview itself.