Page 63 - John Kador - 201 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview-McGraw-Hill (2002)

THE RULES OF THE GAME

for this job. This phrase underscores the idea that the subject of this
conversation is a job that the interviewer needs to fill because a
vital organizational function is not being done. Furthermore, the
ideal remedy for the problem is available and ready to start.

BEFORE THE BEGINNING

A job interview can be over before you think it’s even started. In other
words, a job interview can be a conversation that starts long before the
first word comes out of your mouth.
This scenario demonstrates what a mistake it is to assume that you
can time the start of a job interview.

Susan arrived early at her job interview. At the appointed hour,
Susan’s interviewer greeted her and asked her to follow him to his
office. Susan immediately noticed that the interviewer seemed a
bit befuddled, as if he forgot where the office was. As they started
walking through a maze of cubicles, he seemed to hesitate, look-
ing first left and then right. Ignoring Susan, he paused at every in-
tersection, like he was a pioneer exploring a territory for the first
time. With Susan in tow, he even retraced his steps a couple of
times. Susan felt very uncomfortable, but she didn’t know what
to do. Should she say anything? Would a comment offend him?
Maybe the interviewer had a disability of some sort. So she hung
back and waited for the interviewer to act. Eventually, they found
their way to the interview room where the interviewer asked Susan
a few perfunctory questions before thanking her for coming. Susan
did not get an offer.
What went on here? If you were Susan, how would you have handled
the situation? Before reading further, take a minute to consider the chal-
lenge, because that’s exactly what it was.
Susan didn’t realize it, but the maze-running was part of the job in-
terview. By the time the interviewer got to the talking part, the interview
was over and the candidate had been eliminated. Yes, it might seem
sleazy, but the interviewer played incompetent to test Susan’s leadership
qualities. Would she offer to help? Would she take an active role in some

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