The Interview

This is probably the most nerve-wracking and talked about aspect of employment. There are books and probably libraries devoted to developing the perfect interview skills. I don’t care how many books you read, how many questions you memorize, and how long you spend developing your perfect answers to “what are your strengths and weaknesses”…. here is the truth about interviews; the only way to give a good interview is to practice. The only way to practice is in a real setting. I am not talking about calling your friends and having them Google “Top 10 Interview Questions” to ask you. That’s not real. With your friends your heart rate won’t increase, your palms won’t sweat, and you won’t have to worry whether or not something is in your teeth.

Interviews are like stage plays. You know your lines. You know the blocking and choreography. You anticipate everyone else’s response. But when the curtain goes up is when it really counts.

Like everything in my life I learned this from experience. I went to college and studied business. I studied interview questions and techniques. When I became a manager I started conducting interviews. I just knew I was ahead of the game. Or so I thought! When I decided to leave my company I found my self-righteous self out on interviews again. While I gave a pretty decent interview it wasn’t until the 4th or 5th one that I realized there was an art to this thing. On both sides of the desk. Who knew? I was so focused on conducting interviews I hadn’t thought about the skills required to be interviewed. Since I was still working my job, while interviewing for other positions, I seized the opportunity to be better on both sides of the desk. Here are the lessons I learned.

1. It’s perfectly okay to kiss the frogs. You might get a call for a telemarketing position selling sand on the beach. I say go to the interview any way. The purpose is to practice your interviewing skills. I once went on an interview for a job where I would be selling bottled tea at in-store kiosks. Anyone who knows me can tell you it would have lasted about a week. Halfway through the interview I even thought, what am I doing here? I professionally finished the meeting and didn’t lose a blink of sleep wondering if they’d call back. Go on interviews for jobs you’re unsure about for the sake of the experience. Get the nerves out of the way. Learn about yourself and the marketplace with real practice.

2. You MUST know something about the company you are interviewing with. I cannot emphasize this enough. As a manager nothing was more insulting than people not having at least the slightest inclination about the work we did. I worked for a large company. Most people at the grocery store knew of us when I wore my shirt with the company’s logo. You want to work for ABC123 Company, right? Know what they do!

3. Eliminate the “Intimidation Factor”. This may be easier said than done. If you don’t feel like you can’t eliminate intimidation, at least ease it in knowing this… Often times the person you are interviewing with is NOT a manager. I’ve found that to be a blessing to the interviewee (you) and a curse to the interviewer (ABC123 Company). I have been interviewed by Attorneys, CEO’s, COO’s, Chefs, Doctors, and the like. While these folks were brilliant experts in their fields they all lacked the same thing, a background in management and/or recruiting. They didn’t know what it took to run the environment on the macro level. They didn’t know the daily operations. Often times they didn’t know what it took to be successful in the job position in question. They didn’t know how to look for qualifications. They are skilled professionals, trained and inclined to look at skills sets. (Business Series – Part II). It’s been my experience that managers are best suited to conduct interviews. They are able to identify qualifications and personality types that fit within the organization. They understand that they can teach anyone to perform the tasks at hand. They are looking for the things they don’t have to teach candidates on the job.

4. You’re not the only one. Have you ever thought that the interviewer might be nervous too? I have seen this quite a bit. The person is either not skilled at interviewing, they don’t like interviewing, or they aren’t good at talking to people in general. Often times the boss says “so and so” put out an ad for a new secretary. I am too busy to interview. You can screen them and pick two or three you like. I will meet with them after. I trust your judgment. You may be interviewed by someone who is as terrified as you. Don’t be intimidated just because you’re on opposite sides of the desk.

5. Interview them! So how do you know if you’re being interviewed by a first time manager or Dental Assistant? Aside from the types and ways they ask questions (you can tell) you need to ask! It is perfectly okay and preferred that you ask questions. It shows that you care. You are engaging, interested, thoughtful. Ask politely and professionally of course. Questions like “how long have you been with the company” or “did you start out in your current position” can give you a sense of who they are. It takes the pressure off. But don’t stop at just interviewing the person. Interview the entity as well. Ask about the company size (assuming this information is not available online). Ask about the company culture. If you don’t know what that means, forget it. If they don’t know what that means they have no business interviewing. Ask about the executives or owners. What are their expectations, missions, or values? How closely do they work with their employees? Finally make it personal. What do they expect from you if hired? What are they looking for in the ideal candidate? ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS ask about compensation last. Do we work for pay, yes? Would most of us opt out if we didn’t get paid, yes? However, if you give an employer the impression that you care more about your paycheck then their business or customers then that’s all she wrote. Ask 3-5 questions. Be sure they are questions you can’t quickly find the answer to on their website. Asking questions ensures that the company is right for YOU. Don’t be so eager to get a paycheck that you sell your soul to the devil.

6. Don’t lie! I make it my business to catch people in lies in their interviews. A good manager will do the same to you. I ask “so, do you know about our line of business, or what we do, exactly?” You say yes. What do you think my next question will be? “So tell me what you know about us “. That’s when you can be caught in a lie. I don’t call people out on their lies. But I certainly make a mental note. If the next candidate took five minutes before they walked in to Google us, you were just passed on. You say you’re always prompt, punctual, etc. in your cover letter? I make sure my receptionist writes down the arrival times of each candidate. While, I can’t expect for you to control every traffic variable – the point is, don’t set yourself up like that. Don’t brag about a quality you know you don’t have or can’t control. (And don’t be late!)

7. You can’t have it your way. If you are seeking employment, please prepare yourself accordingly. Make sure you’re available in the day time. Don’t expect the interviewer to accommodate you. There were times that I had to schedule last minute interviews. In those instances I was desperate and willing to make concessions. But generally speaking, there is always someone else available to come on the times and dates requested. ABC123 Company doesn’t have to sit by and wait for you to be available. If I am interviewing between 11-3pm, I am not letting you come at 9am. Period. My official line will be “unfortunately these are the only available times at the moment, but if I do a second round of interviews, I will call you back”. Truth is I probably won’t because I will have found another candidate by then. Likewise if I am interviewing on Wednesday, please know I am not changing my schedule to accommodate you on Friday. Recruiters are the only people who like interviewing every day. No one else does and they have other things to do. Make yourself available to them. Not the other way around.

8. Follow Up. You interviewed for the perfect job. You know you are the perfect candidate. It’s been a few days. Now what? It is perfectly okay to inquire about a position for which you have interviewed. There are some things to keep in mind. First, find out the preferred method of contact. Some people don’t like taking calls and/or won’t take inquiries about jobs. They have a department that sends confirmation and rejection notices to candidates. They don’t plan to communicate with you again. On the other hand, some never check their emails and prefer direct calls. You have to know your audience. At the end of interview ask them how you can contact them for inquiries and follow up. Do they have a business card? Should you contact them through Social Media? Once you have their preferred method of communication, give them some time. The larger the business, the more red tape. You may have to be tested or meet with other people before being offered a position. It may take days to review all of the candidates. They may have to check your references and credentials. Don’t call every day. I usually inquire after 48 hours. And again in one week’s time dependent upon the initial response I receive. After one week, I move on. Don’t lose sleep thinking you did something wrong and replaying the interview over and over. Keep going out on interviews and fine tuning your skills. That position wasn’t for you. Now you know.

9. Be professional from start to finish. I saved this one for last, but it is the most important. You know you are looking for work, right? You know the contact information you provided on your resume. Please don’t use your pussycat69 email address (no offense). Seriously! You may not even be considered. And yes, you will be judged! Likewise when the interviewer calls you to schedule your interview, they don’t want to hear “This right here’s a panty droppa”. I mean, Trey Songz is cool and all… but no way! But you already know that, right? And ring back tones are played out anyway. True. Well, you’d be surprised at how many people haven’t received the memo. Likewise, make sure your social media is ALL private. Your profile photos should have you looking like your nice, sweet, and professional self. Potential employers don’t need to see your weekend turn up when they Google your name. That’s not a good look! Also, did you know that your interview starts the moment you set foot onto the company property? Got into an argument with the valet attendant? You don’t think the person you interviewed with doesn’t know them? Cursed at the security guard who wouldn’t let you in the elevator because you weren’t on the list? He does favors all the time for the person you are about to meet with. S/he will hear about your antics the next morning over coffee. If the receptionist doesn’t like you, it’s an uphill climb. In an office setting, the receptionist is the heartbeat. Just like the dishwasher in a restaurant. The interviewer always consults with the receptionist on your pre-interview behavior. That means don’t engage in inappropriate conversation or anything else you wouldn’t do in the actual interview. Professional and friendly from beginning to end is the way to go.

Don’t misunderstand. I am not encouraging you to be a professional interviewer. After all the point is to land the job and never have to do it ever again, right? I know people who have been on less than five interviews in their entire life. Likewise, I know people on their fifth interview this month. Wherever you find yourself on the spectrum I trust that some of this resonates.

If you have similar or different experiences in your industry I want to hear from you. Share your greatest challenge with interviews on either side of the desk.