My Best Interview Tip? Interview Your Interviewer.
Written by HRuprise coach, Chris Rutter.
A few weeks ago, my friend Kevin turned me on to a Twitter conversation where a hiring manager tweeted about being annoyed because a candidate they were interviewing didn’t bring a copy of their resume. (Insert me checking the calendar… oh yeah, it’s 2021. Just making sure.)
I’m going to pause and give you time to roll your eyes like I did.
Ok, welcome back, let’s keep going! Full transparency, I responded once to the thread, but mostly I continued watching it to see what other HR professionals were saying...and naturally, to judge them by their answers.
At times I found myself embarrassed at reading some of the comments from other HR professionals who felt that interviewees “should always have copies of their resume and a list of references ready to hand to the interviewer.” I so badly wanted to respond with something super sarcastic (it’s just part of my charm) like, “Hey, 1997 called and the personnel department needs you back in the office to get some filing done.”
This whole conversation got Kevin and me talking about the interview process for the candidate. We talked about our experiences and how a well-prepared candidate presents themselves, and what they do and say that truly makes them stand out.
I am always adamant in my advice to job seekers: remember, you’re not the only one being interviewed. Be prepared for a role reversal where you now become the interviewer. To me, the candidate must go into these situations fully prepared to interview the hiring manager and organization. You have to feel that the organization is a great fit for you just as much as they need to ensure you’ll be a good fit for them. My opinion: the entire interview process should be about YOU finding the right fit.
So how do you interview your interviewer? Come prepared with a few thoughtful, appropriate questions such as:
How do you define engagement and how do you practice it throughout your team? (If they struggle with this question that should be a red flag.)
What is your greatest weakness as a leader? (I hate when hiring managers ask candidates this question but I think it’s quite valuable when the tables are turned.)
In regards to your role, the department and/or the organization, what keeps you up at night? (This one can be tricky because they can easily say something generic like “not enough time in the day.” Answers like this are a clear sign they’re evading the question. Look for honesty in this response. No organization or manager is perfect. We all have flaws, and there is no sense in hiding them.)
On the flip side, there are a couple questions worth leaving at home and not bringing to the interview with you such as:
Who would you consider your industry competition? (Do your research and avoid basic and obvious questions.)
What are the hours? (This bothers me because I don’t care what hours you work as long as the job gets done. My approach doesn’t work in all industries, however, and I respect that.)
Why do you like working here? (I’m just not sure what you can get out of this question that would help you make your decision. You’ll just get a super canned response.)
What does success look like here? (I hate this question. You own your own success and your manager should be there to help you realize that. Don't compromise your success for theirs.)
One thing I think we will agree on is that you want to stand out in an interview. My best advice is to do your research on the company and the people interviewing you, and look for similarities you can connect on. Maybe it’s a community service project, a leadership program or where you went to school. The main thing is to walk in with confidence that they need to hire you. Tell yourself that you will add value to the organization, and more importantly, believe it. Don’t sell yourself short.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: CHRIS RUTTER
Chris Rutter is an award-winning human resources executive & coach who recently relocated from Columbus, Ohio to the Portland, Maine area. With over 16 years of HR experience in a wide range of industries, Chris loves connecting with others and giving back to the HR profession. LEARN MORE
