So, how does a concept from the field of engineering get itself into the dysfunctional event called INTERVIEWING? Reverse engineering is a detailed examination of a technical product or service, with the end-game of producing something similar. In fact, this method could also apply to the job interview because sometimes, in a job interview, the candidate does not properly understand the question the interviewer has asked, and therefore the answer, of course, would likely not be the best. In other words, the most important element of the job interview is that the candidate clearly and fully understand the context and issue involved with each question if that candidate’s answers are to meet the interviewer’s expectations.
THIS WEEK’s Session, Thursday, June 14th: Closing The Deal I, exploring interview strategies, including ‘MoneySpeak’ and PRE-OFFER Negotiation
It’s a sad fact that many of the people who conduct job interviews, those representing your potential employers, have never taken even one structured course about carrying out a thorough and productive interview. And it’s disturbing that many professional interviewers do a less than satisfactory job of actually conducting an interview.
Anatomy of the interview
The job interview itself is a professional conversation between employers’ representatives and job applicants (EQUAL participants) for the purpose of selecting the applicant who appears to be the best candidate. Of course, interviews vary in many ways based on type of job and on level within an organization. But in all cases there are similarities.
So, what are the criteria that interviewers must satisfy for themselves in order to go ahead and recommend the hiring of an individual? The answer, of course, includes many criteria, which will differ from one interview to the next…and which at times will be influenced by prejudices, not unlike a job seeker’s offer criteria and the influence of emotions, anxiety, and other pressures.
The interviewer will want to confirm that YOU MEET REQUIREMENTS, usually set forth in a company job description. They attempt to assure your willingness and ability to meet their JOB performance EXPECTATIONS… and finally, the most subjective of all, both parties should be optimizing how well you FIT the job and team cultural issues.
In addition, in most cases more than one interview takes place before a final decision is reached. Let’s examine the types of questions asked in many interviews… and the intentions behind the questions.
Questions for the screening interview
Here the first criterion is communication skills, and a typical question is, “Tell me about yourself.” On hearing the answer, the interviewer has the opportunity to access how the candidate frames that answer. Is it clear and concise? Is the candidate engaging me?
The next criterion is competency. The question could be, Can you give me a specific example of a time you used a (particular) skill and the outcome (a behavioral question)? Now the interviewer listens for whether the answer indicates that the candidate is a team player. Does the candidate truly demonstrate well-developed skills in the area of my interest, and what were the main results?
At all companies, cultural fit is extremely important. Several common questions are pertinent to this area. For example, What was the biggest team project or task you’ve undertaken in your career? They may dig deeper, with specific follow-up questions, like:
- What is the size and scope of the project team. Was the objective reached?
- Who benefited by the outcome?
Was the candidate’s answer well communicated? Was it too long? Too short?
The next area to explore is motivation. Here they may probe the interviewee on what they have researched, or know about the company, testing whether the candidate has done their ‘homework.’ Is the candidate really interested? Does the candidate know more details about the organization than what’s available on the Web site?
You’ve made it through the screening process…NOW What?
Questions for the second interview
Because the motivation factor is so very important, it’s likely that this criterion will come up in the second interview as well, when other members of the interviewing team look for it. Common questions are:
- Why do you want this job?
- Why did you leave your last position? Were there hidden problems?
- Do you wish to grow professionally? Do you have a clear vision of your professional future?
The next area to look into would be trust of colleagues and customers. A good, probing question would be, Can you cite examples that best demonstrate your ability to relate well to others?
- Have you been invited to contribute to other teams?
- Did your team and other teams celebrate their successes together?
- How about repeat business? Or returning internal or external customers?
People in management are expected to identify and establish goals. Listen closely here, because the context of goal-oriented questioning is important. They may inquire about your plans for the first 90 days after hire. Does the candidate know the product or service? Has the candidate given thought to a plan? Is the plan detailed enough?
If at this point the candidate appears promising, they may turn to the salary issues. What kind of money are you looking for? The answer will enable me to decide whether it’s worth continuing the interview if a candidate’s expectations are out of the hiring manager’s salary range budgeted for the position.
The DARK Side
They may ask a question about a perceived liability. For example, Aren’t you overqualified? I will determine whether the response is defensive or equable.
And the last area involves predicting future behavior. The best predictor of future success is evidence of related accomplishment in the past. Questions about future behavior are typically based on behaviors or situations. For example, Tell me about a time you had to defend an idea and what the outcome was.
Asking interview questions is not difficult. Making judgments based on candidates’ answers is where interviewing skills get severely tested.
And perfect practice makes perfect for both parties.
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