What's It Like for an Interviewer (letters, employees, interview, employer)
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Do interviewers think things like, "Glad I'm not THEM." "Geez, gotta go interview another one TODAY. Not in the mood." "Let's get this over with so I can go to lunch." Etc., etc., etc... Of course some do.
Or are there some who genuinely wish that they could hire every good candidate that they interview? Are there some who are anxious about THEIR jobs, and each interview reminds them that THEY'RE expendable, too? Yeah (answered my own questions again)
Do they get "burned out" these days on their job, and whatever "compassion" (if any) there was disappears?
Guess I'd like to hear from some interviewers, H.R. reps, or anyone who's ever interviewed. What is it like, generally?
(Yeah, I'm wordy tonight ... just relaxing).
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When I was a governmental employee.I once sat on an interview panel when they were interviewing clerical employees for the department. I was inexperienced and not sure what to look for as this was a last minute assignment. None of the candidates impressed me though so I did not recommend any for hire. One person kept saying "trust me, I can do the job" without offering any concrete examples to back that up. Another one was fidgety and did not look directly at the panel. I cannot recall anything about the third candidate but I did not feel confident that any of the three could handle the unique, detailed, demanding tasks that clerks normally perform within our unit.
When I was a governmental employee.I once sat on an interview panel when they were interviewing clerical employees for the department. I was inexperienced and not sure what to look for as this was a last minute assignment. None of the candidates impressed me though so I did not recommend any for hire. One person kept saying "trust me, I can do the job" without offering any concrete examples to back that up. Another one was fidgety and did not look directly at the panel. I cannot recall anything about the third candidate but I did not feel confident that any of the three could handle the unique, detailed, demanding tasks that clerks normally perform within our unit.
Yeah, I'm leery about people who say, "Trust me." When hearing that, the word "Don't" comes to mind.
Concrete examples (e.g., professional letters of reference) and good eye contact would place the candidate in high regard if I was an interviewer.
I'd want to know more and would follow up.
I think it depends on how long one has done it. I've done a bit and I try to make the interviewee feel at ease. I am hoping they are the right fit. I want them to succeed.
OTOH, I used to work in HR and remember not liking the phone calls from applicants at all. They were a nuisance.
I think it depends on how long one has done it. I've done a bit and I try to make the interviewee feel at ease. I am hoping they are the right fit. I want them to succeed.
OTOH, I used to work in HR and remember not liking the phone calls from applicants at all. They were a nuisance.
Reminds me that someone advised a job seeker to keep calling a company. Just bug them about the job (I'm serious). It would show that you're interested and tenacious. Well, that "advice" was given "back in the day" (won't say which decade ). Today, it would show the company that you are crazy.
Reminds me that someone advised a job seeker to keep calling a company. Just bug them about the job (I'm serious). It would show that you're interested and tenacious. Well, that "advice" was given "back in the day" (won't say which decade ). Today, it would show the company that you are crazy.
Exception being a sales position. I should qualify.
I remember when I was a youngster (relatively speaking), I always said I'd never hire anyone who did not take the time to follow up with a phone call. That was "back in the day."
Now I view it as just an irritant (unless a sales job). I think if an employer is interested, you'll hear from them.
When I've done interviews I want to hire everyone but can't. I feel for everyone honestly looking for a job and admire them that they are looking. What else are they going to do?
I've always returned calls and the hardest thing for me to do is tell someone we selected someone else. That sucks.
I don't look so much for skill sets or previous training (I can take care of that with time) but how would they be as a "team player" (I hate that phrase) if something was really needed in a pinch? Picture a late Friday afternoon, everyone is planning for their weekend when a customer calls, he is mad as all heck, wanting to know where our crews our. In a firm tone he tells me to have crews on the job first thing Monday morning but we have a problem. The material fab lists haven't been picked, it was "Ron's" job so he should be the one to pick it (he would be best to do it since he knows the project) and what I would want to know is would Ron have enough loyalty to stay late Friday or come in for four or five hours Saturday or even Sunday if he could? He'd get paid for it and I need him to do it for the project. Would he help out? I'd ask if he could come in Saturday later in the morning, I'd buy the pizza lunch and we could work together to get it done. If not Saturday would Sunday be better?
I guess that is the quality I look for and it is harder to find than you might think.
A few years back we were doing a high end project and we had to provide two guys to work 10 hours Saturday and 10 hours Sunday. We were union, base pay was $28 and for Saturday it was time and a half with Sunday at double time. $420 for Saturday and $560 for Sunday making it $20 short of a thousand dollar weekend. I asked eight guys and they all turned me down. To tired (so was I), wanted to rest up, wanted to go fishing which I understood all that but what about me? But when the worm turned they were the first to go.
Loyalty and willingness to help get the job done in a pinch is what I look for.
Interviewers need to remember but for one simple slip they can end up on the other side of the desk pretty quickly. Only three months of bad receipts separate a successful company from one going under.
I'm the type of person who hates telling people NO, so I'd make a bad hiring manager. But I have assisted with interviews in former jobs, and it was actually fun to meet all those people... sometimes I'd feel nervous for them (if they showed nerves), and usually I'd get a good or bad vibe immediately. It did make me feel sad to know they needed work, unless it was just somebody looking for a different job - but I don't remember ever thinking "this could be me." I've been through the interview process on both ends many times, so it's just a cycle of life IMO.
It's always different. We just recently filled 2 spots and we had some really good people come in to interview. I wish we had more spots open so we could have hired more of the people who came in.
Sometimes we don't get anyone who is acceptable and we have to bring in a whole new round of people.
It can definitely get a bit tedious at times. We always try and bring people in at the same time so you usually see anywhere from 4 - 8 people in a few days. An hour for each person. That's a lot of interview time.
I've done about 70-100 interviews during the last dozen of years I worked. As far as the process goes my focus was always to make sure I ask the questions objectively, and appropriately follow up on the responses I was provided.
I also tried to be careful to sift out critical notes, to see if I could determine if the person brought the attributes we were seeking. I also looked to see if I was provided specifics in responses, as opposed to just getting philosophical responses.
I never looked down on those folks I interviewed, clearly recalling what it felt like to sit on the other side myself earlier in my career.
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When hearing that, the word "Don't" comes to mind. 
). Today, it would show the company that you are crazy. 
But I have assisted with interviews in former jobs, and it was actually fun to meet all those people... sometimes I'd feel nervous for them (if they showed nerves), and usually I'd get a good or bad vibe immediately. It did make me feel sad to know they needed work, unless it was just somebody looking for a different job - but I don't remember ever thinking "this could be me." I've been through the interview process on both ends many times, so it's just a cycle of life IMO.
