Everyone gets nervous, but some show their nerves more than others. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes easy to discount nervous candidates for a position, when in reality, you could be missing out on some high quality talent.

“Some of my best, most analytical candidates have been extremely nervous in their first round interviews with me, but I knew there was a reason why I brought them in, so I was patient and made sure I did all I could to make them feel comfortable” explains Jaclyn Statile, Director within The Execu|Search Group’s Accounting/Finance staffing division.  “Many of these candidates have gone on to be very successful placements who have accomplished great things for their companies, and I’ve learned that it’s important for recruiters and hiring managers alike to give nervous candidates a fighting chance. A nervous candidate does not equate to an unqualified candidate.”

Since interviewing styles vary, it pays to be cognizant of your interviewing approach and adjust accordingly. Help bring nervous candidates out of their shells with the following tips in order to gauge their true fit in your company:

Cultivate a Less Stressful Environment – It’s easy for a jittery candidate to feel intimidated when they’re on the other side of an interviewing table. For this reason, one of the most significant factors in creating a relaxing interview setting is layout. Instead of using an oppositional boardroom style design, consider switching to a round or oval shaped table, as this creates a more open space. Using a round table can be especially helpful if you are interviewing the candidate with one of your colleagues because it allows all parties present to meet face-to-face, making the interview feel less like an interrogation, and more like an open conversation.

Relax Your Body Language – Interviewers often hone in on a candidate’s body language to assess the mannerisms and signals that they’re giving off, but it’s also important to be aware of your own. As the interview progresses, be conscious of reinforcing positive body language by smiling regularly and matching their speech patterns. This will help reassure the candidate that the interview is going well and you are interested in their answers. As the candidate becomes more comfortable, you will also be able to get a better picture of their true personality, sans nerves.

Remember, though body language can be a telling indicator of a candidate’s personal internal dialogue, it’s important to steer clear of making presumptions about what certain actions mean. For example, a lack of eye contact could signal shiftiness, but it’s more likely that your candidate may just be shy.

Introduce the Interview Format – Prior to starting the interview, explain the format of the interview and the type of questions you’ll be asking the candidate. Walking them through the schedule will help to alleviate the stress of moving through an unknown process. You may also want to let your candidate know ahead of time when they can ask questions, whether it be during the interview, or at the end.

Adjust Your Interviewing Style Accordingly – You may feel more at ease speaking to a candidate who’s an open book. However, chattiness is not necessarily a predictor of a candidate’s performance potential, so it’s in your best interest to look for ways to make the interview more telling of a candidate’s substance.

Designing the start of the interview thoughtfully may help your candidate build confidence in their performance earlier on, so the rest of the interview can go smoothly. The right questions can also help you establish what kind of personality you’re working with, so that you can tailor the conversation to bring out their responses. To begin, start by introducing who you are and keep the tone conversational and light, easing into the interview with less challenging questions about their background. It may also be helpful to avoid asking yes/no questions, since open-ended questions may give them a chance to go into further detail about their thoughts, opinions, and skills. This will allow you to keep the tone of the interview conversational and the discussion two-sided.

So, if your candidate still doesn’t warm up to you after these tactics, what should you do? Unfortunately, it may be necessary for you rethink their fit for the job. Only you know what the role requires, and if you need someone more extroverted, you may want to pass on this candidate if they truly haven’t opened up.

Simply put, as an interviewer, your primary goal is to fill a team opening with a skillful and capable employee, so you’ll want to make sure you’re not overlooking any talent. To ensure you get a good feel for every candidate’s fit, adjust your interviewing method to optimize the likelihood that the substance yielded from your meeting accurately depicts what each applicant has to offer, nervous or not.