“Practice makes perfect”… but you have to do it the right way!
It’s the same with interviewing: although you may have conducted a large number of interviews over the course of your career, you may not have done it the right way. Worse still, you may have reinforced bad habits.
Let’s take a look at 5 types of interviewers who have some naughty habits in their interviewing practices… Maybe you’ll recognize yourself in them, and can then pay attention to those little flaws that need correcting!
1. The “chatterbox” type
- Flaws:
- Talks too much, perhaps thinking they’re being friendly
- Doesn’t give candidates a chance to talk during the interview, which rarely leaves a good impression
- The way forward:
- Give candidates a chance to talk about their experiences and demonstrate their skills.
2. The interrogator type
- Flaws:
- Asks difficult questions
- Tries to trap candidates with trick questions
- But why?
- Because this type of interviewer believes that candidates should be able to handle pressure
- The facts:
- It has been shown that putting pressure on candidates does not help to assess their performance under stress.
- Such behavior risks leaving a very poor image of the interviewer’s management style and of the organization.
- La voie à suivre :
- Change your mindset: try to put candidates at ease rather than in a stressful situation.
3. The poker face type
- Flaws:
- Tries not to show what he’s thinking or feeling, and gives candidates no indication of how well or poorly each interview is going
- Doesn’t smile
- Expresses themselves with little or no body language
- But why?
- Because some managers mistakenly believe that showing their interest in candidates will take away their negotiating power when it comes to making them an offer
- The way forward:
- Be natural
- Pursue the objective of making candidates feel comfortable and open to answering questions in order to obtain more information.
4. The disorganized or half-present type
- Flaws:
- Always late
- Unprepared for interviews, not taking the time to look at resumes
- Regularly distracted during interviews
- The facts:
- Candidates feel that the manager lacks interest in their file.
- They become more stressed, looking for ways to get the manager’s attention.
- The way forward:
- Be fully prepared to conduct interviews (including turning off your phone!)
- Arrive on time and prepared for the meeting, with relevant documents ready (e.g. resume, interview guide)
- Be a good listener
5. The silent type
- Flaws:
- Lets the hiring specialist or HR team do all the work and ask the interview questions
- Speaks little or not at all during the interview
- Does not take notes during the interview
- The facts:
- Ultimately, the hiring decision rests with managers.
- Their involvement in the hiring process is therefore highly relevant.
- The way forward:
- Use a structured interview guide and well-prepared questions
- Participate in the interview – don’t just show up!
Did you recognize yourself in any of these interviewer types?
If so, try to apply the recommendations provided to move from “someone who’s used to conducting interviews” to “someone who’s used to conducting good interviews”… Because, whether or not you retain them for the next stage of recruitment, the person you interview deserves to have a good candidate experience. Your work ethic, your reputation… and the likelihood that you’ll continue to receive applications in the future are at stake!