Are You an Interviewing Idiot?

As a career coach, I hear lots of stories about how job candidates are treated during the recruitment process. Here’s a bullet-point description of what one of my clients, Jean, recently endured:

· Jean receives a screening call from HR.

· HR emails Jean a job description; then HR emails her the correct job description.

· HR schedules a phone interview for Jean to talk to hiring manager, Betty.  Jean and Betty successfully connect.

· Jean receives invitation from HR to interview at company HQ to meet Betty and Veronica, another hiring manager.

· Interview day! Jean arrives early and meets first with Veronica.

· Veronica describes a different job to Jean and, when asked, cannot answer Jean’s questions about the original job that Betty described to her during her phone interview.  Jean is unclear if this is the same job or a different one.

· Veronica is unaware that Jean is also scheduled to meet Betty.  Jean lands in the lobby because Betty isn’t ready to meet with Jean at the appointed time.

· Betty meets with Jean; Betty is confused about which job (or jobs?) Jean is being interviewed for.

· Jean never meets with HR.

If you are Jean, would you want to work for this company?

I am amazed that so many senior-level managers are inept when it comes to interviewing people. Many leaders brag about being able to decide in sixty seconds if they’ll hire a job candidate. Others regard interviews as an opportunity to talk about themselves and their accomplishments.

If you want to brag about yourself, start a blog.

If you’re serious about finding great candidates, get some training on how to do to it. People seem to forget–or not care–that when they are interviewing someone, they’re representing themselves and their organization.

Here are tips to get started:

· Be crystal-clear on why you are speaking to the candidate. If there is an actual job, refer to the job description and share it with the candidate, preferably ahead of time so they can prepare too.

· Read the candidate’s resume and write down the questions you want to ask him or her.

· If HR has screened the candidate, find out what they learned and factor that in to your questions.

· Be on time.

· Talk 20% of the time; the other 80% should be spent listening and taking notes.

· Treat every candidate as if he or she is a direct descendant of your CEO. You never know who they know or what might eventually end up on Twitter.

· Close the loop with everyone you interview. An honest email or letter will do the trick. Making candidates wait to hear anything is unprofessional and a poor reflection on your company. I’m still waiting to hear about the results of an interview I had with MetLife over six years ago. Charles Schultz and Snoopy would be appalled.

See you ’round the block,

Nancy