In any group discussion or interview, there will always be those individuals who try to present themselves in the best light possible and exaggerate the truth. This is especially true for those who are vying for a position in the armed forces.
The Interviewing Officer or Screening Officers who conduct the SSB interviews are experienced individuals who have been trained to catch a liar. They have mastered the art of reading body language and they use a variety of methods to elicit the truth from the interviewees.
Techniques Used By SSB Interviewing Officer to Catch a Liar
Interviewers adopt various techniques to be able to catch a lie during an interview. They use various tricks in order to get the most accurate information from the candidates. The following are 6 ways used by SSB interviewing officers to catch a liar
1. They will ask the same question in different ways.
In order to complete the PIQ(Personal Interview Questionnaire), most candidates write or mention things that they didn’t do or practice. For example, by conducting a college event or a societal event like a Blood Donation camp, candidates think they can impress the IOs or get an edge over others by stating their organizational abilities. But the truth is they participated in the event but did not organize it. What happens is Interviewers ask the same question in different ways and if your answers do not tally with each other he/she finds you cheating or exaggerating.
2. They will observe the interviewee’s body language
It is estimated that up to 80% of communication is non-verbal, which means that body language can tell us a lot about what someone is really saying. When it comes to interviews, body language can be a great way to spot if someone is lying.
There are a few key things interviewing officers look for when trying to spot the body language of a liar.
- First, they pay attention to any changes in their posture. If someone is slouching or fidgeting more than usual, it could be a sign that they are feeling uneasy about something.
- Second, they look for changes in the candidate’s facial expressions. If someone is avoiding eye contact or smiling more than usual, it could be a sign that they are hiding something.
- Finally, they listen to the tone of their voice. If someone’s voice is shaking or they are speaking faster than usual, it could be a lie.
3. They will note any discrepancies in the interviewee’s answers
During an interview, IOs try to catch any discrepancies in the interviewee’s answers. This can help them catch a liar. There are a few things that IOs do in order to catch any discrepancies.
First, they pay attention to the interviewee’s body language. If the interviewee is getting tense or nervous, this could be a sign that they are lying.
Second, they look for or listen to any changes in the interviewee’s voice. If their voice starts to waver or they start to speak more quickly, this could be another sign that they are lying.
Finally, the Interviewing officers pay attention to the content of the interviewee’s answers. If they start to contradict themselves or give more detail than necessary, this could be a sign that they are not telling the truth
They will ask follow-up questions
Another interesting technique used by Interviewing officers is to ask follow-up questions. At the beginning of the interview, you explained to them how did you help society with a planting activity. Now after the 4th or 5th stage of the interview the IO may ask you to explain how would you conduct a tree plantation drive in your society now if you’re bluffing in the first instance then chances are that you will fumble in between.
They will observe the interviewee’s mannerisms
There are many ways to catch a liar in an SSB interview, but one of the most effective is to observe the interviewee’s mannerisms.
There are several tell-tale signs that someone is lying, such as avoidance of eye contact, fidgeting, or changes in vocal patterns. If the interviewing officer suspects that someone is lying, he/she pays close attention to their body language and sees if there are any discrepancies between what they are saying and how they are acting.
By catching a lie during an interview, the IO can get to the bottom of the issue and get the accurate information they need.
They will pay attention to the interviewee’s voice
In an interview, the Interviewer tries to read the candidate’s mind in order to gauge their sincerity. While there are many signs that tell someone may be lying, one of the most important is their voice.
There are two main ways to tell if someone is lying based on their voice.
The first is through changes in pitch. When someone is lying, their voice may go up or down in pitch, or they may speak in a more monotone way than usual.
The second way to tell if someone is lying based on their voice is through changes in rate. When someone is lying, they may speak faster or slower than usual.
IOs pay close attention to the changes in a candidate’s voice, they can tell if they are lying.
Conclusion
If you are planning on appearing for an SSB interview, then it is important that you don’t lie. The interviewing officer can use multiple techniques to catch liars. The IOs analyze body language, verbal cues, and inconsistencies in the story. The best way to avoid being caught in a lie is, to be honest from the start. If you’re caught in a lie, the best course of action is to come clean and admit to it. For more tips on avoiding lies, follow our blog.
