Or how the interviewer can screw it up. A list of what not to do based on real experiences.
Major revelation: the fourth decade of my life is in full speed. By now, I can’t even count how many roles – all types of roles – I’ve interviewed for, let alone how many stages each process consisted of. At the same time, I’ve also been on the other side, reviewing applicants and conducting interviews myself.
When it comes to candidates, not surprisingly, the common feeling around interviews is rather unpleasant, kind of stressful, somewhat negative. At moments, you think you did everything the wrong way, don’t you? Interviewers, on the other hand, understandably tend not to think about the event in such grim way. The confidence of being the strong link resonates with them, we might as well say. Are they really fairing well, though?
I can certainly say one thing: start-ups and smaller or younger companies …stand out. I totally love their spirit and enthusiasm, also their talent in attracting capable and visionary people. But yes, they don’t only disrupt products and industries in good ways. They also disrupt recruitment in bad ways.
Here’s a chronicle of things I’ve seen as an interviewee for start-ups – with a pinch of satire.
The interviewer lectures.
This one’s likely a founder. But it’s not only about her “baby” (the brilliant idea you’re dying to be part of, bitch). It can be about just about anything from current events to her expedition to the Himalayas that May two years ago. While it’s not a bad idea per se to sell the company’s vision in a vivid manner, or to dig into the deeper motives of work, or to talk about the grand scheme of things, it can strip the interview of its purpose. I have to somehow prove my worth, showcase my skills, talk about my incentives. For crying out loud, it’s my time to shamelessly brag. Why does she keep talking?
The interviewer gets inappropriate.
You know, when the questions become too personal. I find myself talking about my partner, my real estate, my financials. It has happened. Without a clear understanding of what is and what isn’t allowed to be discussed during a job interview, things can derail quickly. This is when some HR department (call it team, call it one person) comes in handy. If there isn’t any such option or some common sense, preparing the meeting in advance as an interviewer becomes even more important: honestly, stick to a list of questions even if it feels dry. Improvisation requires some skill and a lot of practice.
The interviewer doesn’t lead the discussion.
When the pauses become longer, and the interviewer somehow doesn’t take it forward but …also pauses? Sometimes she doesn’t even end the interview at all. Is she asleep or merely a bad communicator? Well, let me break you the news: interviews are meant to be owned by interviewers. I have enough to care about at this point. Guiding this chat is not one of them.
The interviewer doesn’t have an agenda.
Usually, neither an agenda for this interview nor an idea of the recruitment process. No beginning, no middle, no ending. I start feeling some randomness during but also after when it suddenly gets me: what happened in there, and what happens next? How will they evaluate me compared with other candidates? What were they looking for in that discussion? Was it a technical interview or a team fit one? Why were we going forth and back and forth with topics?
The interviewer doesn’t interview.
My personal favourite because it’s the sum of all of the above or some combination thereof. Basically, nothing resembles a job interview. I don’t get the chance to talk unless it’s about personal, irrelevant topics; nobody owns the discussion, and I don’t know where this is going. Professionalism has gone missing. And I can’t help but wonder: do I really want this job so badly?
Image via Interview GIFs on GIPHY.
I walk fast. 