by Yvonne Donlon

Created on: August 07, 2009

In my years of running businesses, and being a recruiter of management personnel, I interviewed hundreds and hundreds of potential employees, and potential bosses. I have never been very comfortable with all the "formula" interview tactics. That is true mostly because I detested them as a potential employee myself. All those "key questions" and "best answers" we've all read in how to books or have heard from other professionals, are given far too much credence in the job market. We've all read them. If I'm interviewing I recognize the pat answer immediately and wonder if it was rehearsed in front of a mirror, and how many times it took them to get it just right. If I'm being interviewed I wonder which how to manual they've read and whether they liked it or not.

I threw away all the "how to" books years ago. After all we're just two people who might just be working together soon. I've learned more about people standing in a long line, or sitting with them in a waiting room, than I could ever discern from the standard interview scenario. I don't need a team of psychologists and behavioral scientists and body language experts to tell me what every little thing they say means. After all, the chances are pretty good they've seen the same studies and their results.

I bet Ted Bundy gave a remarkable interview.

I do not hold a standard interview when hiring. I have a conversation. I've read their resume. I don't need to have it belched back at me in an interview stocked with keywords. In the end, your potential employee, or yourself as a potential employee, is going to come to work as they/you are, and not as they/you espoused to be in an interview. Aptitude tests, personality tests, and the other tests so many employers are using now, all mean nothing when the day to day experience of getting things done begins.

I got one of my best jobs by actually blowing the interview. Or so it seemed as I was driving home from it. I was interviewed by a human resource person who I could tell didn't like my answers, my manner, or my looks. One of those didn't sit well with her. She had her appropriate list of questions and I answered them. The owner of the business was in earshot, throughout, and did come over once to introduce himself. He and I chatted for a moment, and then he left again to continue the work he was doing nearby. The interviewer continued her questions and we finished the interview. On my way out, the owner wished me a good day, and said it was nice to meet me.

Two days later, he called and offered me the job. Once I was there, I learned that human resources had rejected me, but his opinion was different after our brief conversation. And he was right. I was promoted quickly through the ranks of that organization. Whatever keyword of body language I used meant nothing when the day to day experience of getting the job done began. There I lived up to my resume, and even successfully added to it.

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