Week 5 Blog – Successful and Unsuccessful Interviews
Looking back on the interviews I have had, it’s clear that some were effective while others were not. What really makes an interview successful usually comes down to how reliable, relevant, and helpful it is in figuring out if someone is the right fit for the job.
One of the best interviews I have had was with a moving company, and they made it well structured, organized, and direct. The job-specific questions put across by the interviewer proved that they were not just prepared but in fact knew what they were searching for. That showed transparency, as they explained what was being looked for in each specific question. I felt comfortable because they took the time to build a relationship with me by asking me personal questions, and their job oriented questions were practical and focused on practical scenarios that could happen on the job. After reading this week’s materials I realize that this type of approach reinforces the notion that structured interviews are consistent and less prone to biases, hence more reliable and valid.
On the other hand, I have also had interviews that felt like a waste of time. For example when I was interviewing for a job at a fencing company the guy interviewing me asked vague questions without any follow up or clear direction that emphasized what the job was like. There wasn’t a sense of purpose or structure, and it felt very nonchalant. Their lack of preparation on their end made it hard for me to give meaningful answers. These kinds of unstructured interviews are frustrating and ineffective because they don’t give a clear picture of whether someone can actually do the job.
If I could go back and give those employers some advice, I’d suggest a few changes. First I would suggest they be more prepared and keep the interview structured to what they are specifically looking for. Having a clear set of job related questions and a way to score responses makes the process way more consistent and fair. Additionally I would suggest behavioral and situational questions that are based off of possible situations on the job. These are helpful because they give real insight into how someone has handled challenges or how they’d approach specific situations. Next I would suggest the employers train interviewers to recognize and avoid bias. It’s so easy to let first impressions or personal preferences influence decisions, but that can lead to hiring the wrong person. Lastly, I would suggest that they not rely on interviews alone. I would add things like skills tests or cognitive tests, because they can give you a better picture of a candidate’s abilities and potential.
Overall interviews need to be well structured, to the point, and clear about job expectations and duties.