Page 64 - John Kador - 201 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview-McGraw-Hill (2002)

WHEN TO QUESTION

way, offering whatever skills she could muster for the occasion? Or
would she remain passive? The interviewer was hoping that Susan
would ask a question. The most important part of the interview took
place before the candidate thought anything important happened.
What could Susan have done? The first thing is, she should have rec-
ognized that she was being tested. In fact, all candidates do well to assume
that as soon as they leave their house, they are being evaluated. What are
some things Susan could have done or said? A job coach in Dallas whose
clients have encountered this technique suggests one approach.
Well, there’s no right or wrong here. But I’d have coached Susan to
do something to acknowledge what is, after all, an uncomfortable
situation. If I’m recruiting for a team leader or manager, I look for
candidates who are authentic, who offer to help in some way, or
at least use humor to diffuse the tension. One candidate made me
laugh when she joked, “Maybe we should leave a trail of bread
crumbs so we can find our way back!” Mostly I want to see evi-
dence that the candidate is thinking. What makes me hesitate is
when candidates don’t have a clue about what to do or are too
timid to do it.
Thankfully, techniques like these are falling out of favor, so you
probably won’t encounter too many role-playing techniques. But the
point remains: The interview starts sooner than you think. Keep think-
ing and don’t hesitate to ask questions. Here’s another scenario you
might encounter.
Charles was interviewing for a senior sales position, and every-
thing was going perfectly. His experience was exactly right, and
Charles and the hiring manager, the VP of sales, seemed to be get-
ting along great. So imagine the candidate’s surprise when the in-
terviewer suddenly stood up and said, “I’m sorry, Charles. I just
don’t think it’s going to work out after all. Thank you for meeting
with me and good luck to you.” The rejection came so unexpect-
edly Charles that could only mumble something as he walked out.

What’s going on here? Again, take a minute to put yourself in
Charles’s shoes. How would you have handled the situation?

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