Effective vs Ineffective Interviews

My best interview experience…

…was for a job I did not get selected for. It was for a promotion that would lead to a corporate job from a customer service leadership position. It was done over teams as it was located in Washington State while I lived in Texas. The interview involved two people. One was an HR manager who was directing the questions from what I could tell was his home, and the other was the person who would be my direct manager should I get the position.

They got many things right. The questions were thought provoking but relevant to the position. Their demeanor was incredibly professional and friendly. They respected my time, experience, and requests for clarifications on a few subjects. Overall, it couldn’t have been more than 30 minutes, and I had learned a lot about them and a part of the company I hadn’t fully seen. I left with no questions in my head, and the best part is that I felt I had gained good insights by simply having the conversation in the first place. They also hade quick answer for any questions I had, and it never felt like we got sidetracked. I felt heard, challenged, and respected. While in hindsight I realize I was not ready for that step, that interview alone showed me what to expect and I will sometimes reflect on that interaction when preparing to do interviews myself, something that I am fortunate to have experience in.

Being ineffective.

The simplest form of being ineffective is not being available. One of my very first interview experiences involved a manager who was far too busy to meet and asked if I could come back at a later date or wait for him to finish was he was working on. I learned then, even at a younger age that I had respect for my own time, and he did not. I left and was interviewed at another company, one that I stayed for over 5 years. I have had other bad experiences. I have been in interview rooms with more than person who give conflicting answers and then saw them iron out the details in front of me. I have been in rooms where they lost my application, and asked me what position I was looking for, something which I always wanted to reply to with “Well, it’s not a good sign that you don’t seem to know what you’re hiring for”. A big part of being ineffective is not being ready. Second, is to not be an ambassador for your company. Third, is to not know your health benefits provider when a candidate asks you.

Being effective in 3 easy steps:

• Be prepared.
• Be present.
• Be knowledgeable.

(And don’t forget to be friendly.)