What Hiring Managers Think About During an Interview

No matter how prepared you are, a job interview can be tough. You try to appear confident -- yet excited. You want to show you're enthusiastic -- but calm. You give answers that you hope are detailed -- but not boring.

But wouldn't this process be much easier if you could just read an interviewer's mind? While I can't give you that power, I can give you some insight into what interviewers are thinking from their side of the desk.

At the forefront of their minds is....

1. Can you can really walk the talk?

“Right now, there is a level of desperation among candidates and that means they’re exaggerating their qualifications when they apply for a job. The fear for hiring managers is that when the economy turns around, these people who are overqualified for the jobs they accepted are going to jump ship,” says Scott Erker, senior vice president of Development Dimensions International (DDI).

Q VanBenschoten, director for human resources for Intertek, agrees, saying that while her company is being presented with a lot of great talent, the dilemma is whether hiring them may be a mistake in the long run. “The question always is: Are we going to be able to keep them or are they going to get bored and leave?”

And that brings us to another concern...

2. Are they missing something important?

Van Benschoten says that there has been a 30 percent increase in the number of job applicants for positions at her company. She says she’s getting resumes from those now unemployed – and those who obviously are concerned they may be in the future.

"It’s tough. You’ve got to look at resumes quickly and start making decisions about who isn’t qualified, who doesn’t meet the minimum requirements of the job,” VanBenschoten says. “A year ago, we may have looked at people who didn’t have the exact requirements, and we may still look at them. But they’re harder to catch because we’re going through so many resumes.”

And for good or for ill, some hiring managers are relying on...

3. What is their gut telling them about you?

Recently, DDI did a survey of hiring managers and found that two out of three hiring managers fear they’re missing “red flags” about candidates, and two-thirds of them believe it will come back to haunt them.

“Interviewers have to be prepared to see through the line of b.s. job candidates will give them,” Erker says. “But to be honest, a lot of companies are relying on making million dollar (hiring) decisions based on practices that are appalling.”

Specifically, Erker says the survey found 44 percent of managers rely on their “gut” to make a hiring decision. Nearly half of interviewers reported they spent just 30 minutes or less making a decision about a candidate after the interview.

“That’s a big mistake,” he says. “Managers – especially senior managers – are overconfident regarding their judgment. Interviewing is a skill. It takes practice. You’ve got to be able to ask questions – and follow-up questions – that really help you understand why the person chose a certain path. You’ve got to go deep.”

VanBenschoten says that five years ago she was making hiring decisions based on her “gut,” but has learned her lesson even if other hiring managers have not.

“I discovered that when I went with my gut, the person I chose ended up not being the right fit,” she says. “Now I use behavior-based interviewing. I’m looking for how a person handled a problem or an issue, and if their response would fit what is required in a position here.”

Further, VanBenschoten says she often will run a job candidate’s answers by other managers as a way to check her “assumptions” to make sure she’s selecting the best person for a job.

“It’s like falling in love and everything seems so perfect. But sometimes you need to get someone else’s take on it, see how they would approach the situation,” she says.

What else may a hiring manager be considering during an interview?

10 of the Toughest Interview Questions Ever

My last post generated a lot of comments regarding the tougher stance employers may be taking regarding truthfulness from job seekers based on President-Elect Obama's criteria, and it got me to thinking about just how far the new administration may be willing to go when it comes to vetting job candidates.

The Obama Administration is reportedly going to check into everything from an applicant's friends, family and associates to past e-mails, texts, online comments, etc., looking for anything that they believe might make a candidate unworthy to work in the "change" White House.

Recently I was able to get access to questions asked of a job seeker by an Obama hiring manager and thought they might give us insight into how tough the questions might be:

1. "I understand you had a dog named 'Cuddles' when you were 12-years-old. Did you remember to feed this Cuddles as you promised, or did a third party -- say, your mother -- have to step in when you forgot?"

2. "We have videotape of a high school basketball game and it appears to show you wearing hard shoes on the gym floor. Can you explain this clear violation of school policy?"

3. "On Twitter, we have found you made a request for Sarah Palin's moose chili. Care to comment?"

4. "Have you ever sent a text message with the words 'you suck' in it?"

5. "An off-duty Secret Service agent is willing to testify under oath that he saw you bringing in outside food to a showing of 'March of the Penguins.' Specifically, a box of Whoppers. Can you explain this clear violation of the movie theater rules?"

6. "Our records indicate you purchased 'Guitar Hero Aerosmith' through your company computer. Are you telling us that you expect a job in this administration when you have shopped online while at work?"

7. "On your best friend's Facebook page, we found a photo of you at a recent industry conference with a toilet seat around your neck, wearing a grass skirt and holding some kind of pink drink in your hand. Oh, yes, and a little blue umbrella appears to be stuck up your nose. Was this part of a specific training exercise?"

8. "Your blog claims that you have the record for taking the most photocopies of your face on the office copier, and you're going for your third straight win in the 'burping the alphabet' contest during this year's holiday party. Was there a reason you neglected to list these skills on your application?"

9. "As you know, we talk to family members. Your brother has admitted to us that you knowingly watched 'Catwoman,' even after the reviews came out. Can you explain why you would ever knowingly watch such a horrendously bad film?"

10. "Is it true that the last time someone touched something on your desk at work they required a tetanus shot?"

OK, I may have taken a few liberties with this fictional account, but do you know of any other tough questions that might be asked these days?

Turning a Rejection Into an Opportunity

The pubs will be full today with revelers celebrating St. Patrick's Day, but the truth is many people will be swilling that green beer not to celebrate, but to drown their sorrows.

Times are tough, as any job seeker will testify. The latest news of Bear Stearns Cos. being sold at garage sale prices has sent another shudder through the job seeking masses, because they know that more people are nervous and will begin dusting off their resumes to join the ranks looking for new work.

Looking for a job is tough, and rejections are never easy to handle.

But there's something that many job candidates miss: "No" doesn't always mean "no."

Sometimes a hiring manager tells you that you didn't get a position after you've interviewed, and you consider that the end of the road. Time to head for the green beer, right?

Wrong. Now is the time to use that contact -- however brief -- with the hiring manager to establish a firmer relationship. Begin by saying that you really like the company, and would like to be considered for another position. Is there anyone else the hiring manager could refer you to? Being able to use the hiring manager's name with another department head is very valuable.

Also, tell the hiring manager that you would like to learn from the process. Was there something you did or did not do that eliminated you from the position? Was there a particular skill that the winning candidate had? Most managers will remember positively the job candidate who didn't take his or her rejection personally, but instead focused on personal improvement.

Another idea takes some chutzpah: Inquire whether the hiring manager knows anyone else who is hiring. Managers belong to professional associations and have networks of friends and colleagues that may be looking for qualified job candidates. Even if they don't know someone right away, your name will come more easily to mind in the future because you inquired specifically about it. Be sure and follow up in a couple of months with the manager to still express your interest in working for the company -- persistence often pays off.

Finally, make sure that you send a hand written note to the manager, thanking him or her for the consideration and giving your best wishes for the company's success.




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Don't Blow It When the Boss Asks for Your Help in Making a New Hire: How to Ask Great Interview Questions

In my previous post, I wrote about how important it was to make a good impression on everyone you meet when you go for a job interview, because the boss may ask various workers for their opinion about you.

But what if you're one of those employees who is introduced to the job candidate and asked to "chat" with a potential hire? What are you supposed to talk about? The score of last night’s game, the latest technology or if they have a family? You may not be aware of it, but what you talk about may have a big impact on your career.

That's because this little chat may not only be a test for the job candidate, but for you, as well. Not only is the boss looking at how the job candidate performs, but he's also looking at how you handle the situation. Your performance during this interaction can be important if the boss is trying to decide whether it's time you moved on to bigger and better things.

Specifically, if you give an insightful, logical assessment of this person’s skills and the ability to fit into a current culture, then you’ve proved you have another useful job skill that directly impacts the boss and your company's bottom line. But if you blow it, and can't offer the boss anything more substantial than the fact that the candidate likes the Red Sox, then you've failed to take the opportunity to show the boss that you can handle whatever is thrown your way.

So, the next time the boss provides an opportunity for you to interact with a job candidate, be prepared to show that you can rise to the challenge. Here are some points to becoming an effective interviewer:
· Think about what it takes to succeed in the job. If it’s important that the interviewee have strong people skills, then ask about team experience, or how customer complaints are handled. You might even relate a real experience (omit names) that caused problems, and see how the interviewee would handle the situation.
· Ask about past jobs. Find out what the person liked most or liked least about former positions. What was the atmosphere like?
· Inquire about organizational skills. The last thing you need is more work dumped on you because a new hire is disorganized and inefficient. Ask how they make sure they meet targets on time, how they schedule their work, how they decide what they should do every day when they show up for work.
· Find out whether past training or education would be beneficial. Maybe the candidate spent three summers in France and is so fluent in the language that he or she could handle the clients you’ve been having difficulty with in Paris. That might be a key point supervisors would miss, but your inquiries would net this new information.
· Try to avoid “yes” or “no” responses. Don’t ask, “Did you like your last job?” but “Tell me about your last job.”
· Be professional. Greet the candidate with a smile and a handshake, and avoid interruptions. When it’s your turn to talk to an interviewee, it’s best to do it in a quiet place, with no ringing phones or people walking by. Find out how much time you’ve been allotted, then stick to the schedule. This will prevent you from chatting too much in an endless sessions.
· Avoid legal minefields. Ask only job related questions. It’s against the law to ask about sexual preferences, religious affiliations, disabilities, age, race, marital status, child care arrangements, citizenship and memberships. At the same time, do not ask if the person has ever been arrested or convicted of a crime, or make any mention of gender.
· Motivating factors. Find out what the candidate sees as their personal motivation: money, creativity, chances for advancement, etc. If the answers don’t fit in with what the company offers, it means that this person would probably become quickly dissatisfied – and you’ll be repeating the interviewing process sooner than you -- or your boss --would like.


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Boomers, Buzzwords and Elephants...Oh, My!

Well, as many of you may have noticed, I wasn't nominated for an Oscar this year, but I'm not going to be upset about it. After all, I really didn't have a thing to wear, and now I have more time to devote to this week's Tidbit Tuesday. So, without further ado, here are my nominations for interesting news items:

* Thinking about Dumbo: A survey found the the "Most Outrageous, Offensive and Illegal Interview Questions” ever asked during a job interview include: "Would you be available from time to time to watch my children?”; "Is that your natural hair color?”; and one I personally think about all the time -- "What would you do if I gave you an elephant?”
Of course, to be fair, job candidates have their own set of weird behaviors, including these answers: "Please excuse some of my replies as I am still a little hung-over from the weekend.” (It was a Wednesday.); "I had a dream and a fairy told me I should work for your company”; and "I’ve already accepted another position, but I thought I may as well turn up to this interview just in case this was a better paying job.”
The survey was compiled by Development Dimensions International (DDI) and Monster.com.

* Calling all Boomers: Nearly 14,000 mission-critical jobs need to be filled at the U.S. Department of Treasury in the next two years, including 7,950 IRS agents and tax examiners. Procurement, IT and accounting positions are also on the "most wanted" job list, and that's just one example of why private and government groups are banding together to try and recruit baby boomers for these jobs.
The war for talent is hitting the federal government hard, as more than one-third of the full-time permanent federal workforce gets ready to retire or leave in the next five years, according to the Partnership for Public Service.
The FedExperience Transitions to Government - an initiative to help match government's critical hiring needs with the talents of baby boomers looking for encore careers where they can find interesting and challenging work - is touted as a win-win for everyone. Specifically, baby boomers get to "transition" to retirement, and the federal government doesn't shut down because there are not enough experienced people to run it.

* Does delayering make you look thinner? If you've ever wondered what your boss means when he or she says there will be "unsiloing," you're not alone. My friends at The Des Moines Register have put together a funny - yet sadly true - look at the buzzwords bosses like to use and what they may really mean. One example: "Departmental synergy: There's a chance you'll be emptying trash cans one day a week by March."




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