Articles - Interview Bad Examples..

It's 6:30pm and I've had a long day after a 7am conference call with New York and Tokyo. Last minute HR have asked me to look over someone before the Big Kahuna sees them.. I want to help out, and who knows if they're good they can come work in my team.. maybe..

I walk in, "Good evening" to get confronted by a grinning school boy.. and by grinning I mean in a kind of .. is that a natural high way.. (Lesson 1 - be yourself, be polite, be real not "suck up guy", not artificial)

Ok .. so maybe he's nervous.

We start to go through his CV, and I ask him simple questions.. he comes back with common phrases.. but in the accent, and pronunciation that means I have to work hard to realise.. Now je parle francais, moi meme and a raft of other things.. but I don't come to London and all it Lonun.. that's not on.. I guess.. nerves.. I think unprepared.. and if the outside isn't looking sharp.... then what can lie beneath the surface.. (Lesson 2 - get a good briefing before your interview.. talk to people, your recruitment consultant, HR, your friends.. come one.. after all you want us to think you're proactive, keen and intelligent.. so act like it..) {imagine if I get my blind date's name wrong.. it's not going to go too well after that is it..}

We start talking about his project at university.. good I know about this subject and being nice.. let him know that ahead of times (the I've worked for two years in that area.. I think the give away)..

I ask genuinely interested questions.. only to find.. the basics (not the bit he's working on..) but the elementary school 101 bits.. don't tie to the market reality.. ok.. give the kid a break.. I let him know nicely.. and ask him to think "Really, that's not the norm. But ok, Well what might be an issue with viewing it like that..?"

Just kept bashing on his other point.. (Lesson 3 - answer the question. and look for the clues and guides in the conversation.. like if a friend says "As I said repeatedly.." it means move on..)

He bounds into the night.. if nothing else.. he isn't a good judge of people or communication.. Couldn't he see he needed to pull something out of the bag....

Next morning.. a keen recruitment consultant.. "Well before I give you feedback.. what do you think of his communication skills..".... the consultants.. feedback was my own.. before I'd even told him..

So why send him down.. why not brief him..

The moral.."we won't be using the firm again..well not if we can help it.. and poor old cyril.. well hopefully he'll ask questions.. and run over what we asked.. and next time..

Shame.. lovely guy.. just come back in 12months when you've done your homework..

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Ed - the interviewer.. maybe a bit strong in his expectations.. but the candidate didn't do themselves any favours by not being prepared or briefed.. if you don't think the recruitment consultant is helping.. find another.. remember your the valuable resource.. not them.. We've all had bad interviews.. and I myself have been that candidate.. things aren't always perfect .. but what's important.. is that you learn .. get feedback.. and next time.. well next time.. do the homework.... after all you want this don't you..

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