The Ineffective Interviewer

I firmly believe the responsibility for accurately and effectively communicating your story rests with you. Having said that, there are certain hindrances you will almost certainly face along the way. As strange as it might seem, one of these hindrances is the person who most needs you to communicate powerfully--the interviewer.

How could this be? Why would the interviewer stand in the way of you and your story?

The behavior I am referring to is a lot more insidious than the typical, confrontational interviewer who does everything conceivable to make you feel uncomfortable. In his or her own way, that interviewer is also making it more challenging to communicate your story. But that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about interviewers who unconsciously sabotage the interview by asking off-topic questions. In my book and in my seminars, I talk at length about interviewers who ask stupid questions like, "What are your weaknesses?" and "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" So, I won't repeat myself here. What I am talking about is much more subtle.

I was recently hired by a company to coach employees to be more effective interviewers. In the sessions, I did an exercise in which we did a mock interview and tracked the questions that were asked. What happened was not an isolated event, but a scenario that plays itself out in countless interviews everyday.

The first observation I made was that the number of questions asked in a 30 minute period averaged close to 20. If that seems like a lot, it is. As often happens, many of the questions were closed-ended. In other words, they required only a yes/no or short-answer response. While this approach to questioning is undoubtedly ineffective, that wasn't the most serious issue.

After 30 minutes, I stopped the mock interview and asked one simple question:

"What are the most important qualities you look for in a candidate for this particular position?"

Each time, the interviewers responded with a list of 4 or 5 qualities deemed critical for a successful candidate. With these qualities in mind, we reviewed the list of questions they had just asked. In each case, there were only one or two questions that were even tangentially related to the most important qualities sought by the company. In other words, the interviewers weren't asking the right questions.

I have witnessed the same scenario play itself out many times. The results are almost always the same. Interviewers do themselves and the candidates a disservice by taking the conversation in unhelpful directions.

What can you do about it?

As a candidate, it is absolutely essential to approach the interview with a simple 3-part strategy.

1) Know what qualities are important to the company. (Do your homework!)
2) Know what you have done to demonstrate those qualities.
3) Find ways to answer even off-topic questions with examples that communicate what the interviewer really needs to know.

Easier said than done, I know. It's going to take more effort on your part, but if you want the job or promotion, it's worth it.