In his words, "You should probably be a bit cognitively drained." Smith is the head of inclusion, diversity, and engagement at content delivery network provider Akamai. He said mental exhaustion is a sign you were listening to the candidate and paying close attention to their answers. As talent leaders across industries revamp their hiring protocols to be fairer, and to yield a diverse pool of candidates, Smith's test is one simple way to judge the strength of your interview process. Hiring managers often gravitate toward candidates they'd like to be friends with, which can create a more or less homogenous organization of people with similar backgrounds, interests, and personalities. But a job interview — done well, at least — shouldn't feel like a casual chat with a friend. It should be a space for rigorous assessment of whether this person will add value to the team.