The job interview is seen through the lens of the hiring manager.

The job interview is seen through the lens of the hiring manager.

I started volunteering for Neighbors Helping Neighbors last week by attending a meeting at the Riveredge NJ library. The founder of the group John Fugazzie asked if I would write about my experience as a hiring manager. Here is the first reflection. The next will be about self awareness.
http://www.neighbors-helping-neighbors.com/

The purpose of the job interview is to determine if the interviewee is the right fit for the position and the company. And to determine if the company and position are the right fit for the interviewee. A great deal of time and energy is put into the hiring process for both the hiring manager and the interviewee which makes it extremely important to get the right fit the first time.

The hiring manager begins the interview with small talk to help the interviewee relax so the true character of the interviewee will come out. The interviewee should be authentic and project positive body language.

The hiring manager asks questions to determine if the interviewee has the experience and skill set to get the job done. The interviewee should be prepared to explain in detail everything written in their resume.

The hiring manager asks questions to bring out the interviewee’s interpersonal skills. The interviewee should answers these questions honestly and from experience because canned responses are a sign that the interviewee is responding to what they think the hiring manger wants to hear and not from actual experience.

These two avenues of questioning enable the hiring manager to make an informed decision.

The hiring manager is looking for someone who can do the work well and work well in the team.

Interpersonal skills are just as important as experience and skill set.

The hiring manger contemplates whether he/she and the team can work with the interviewee.

·         What would it be like to work with the interviewee?

·         Will the interviewee support the goals and objectives of the department?

·         What value will the interviewee bring to the team?

·         What new skill set or experience will the interviewee bring to the team?

·         Is the interviewee qualified for the position?

·         Will the interviewee be successful in the position?

A good and bad fit example:

A manger asks a temporary employee to complete a task in a certain way.  The temporary employee does not like to do the task that way and gives the manager a hard time by complaining it will take a long time to complete the task. The task is not completed on time or in the way the manager requested. And this happens several times over the course of a week. What do you think the hiring manager did? The temporary employee was fired.

A manger asks a temporary employee to complete a task in a certain way.  The temporary employee does not like to do the task that way but listens carefully and takes notes. The temporary employee completes the task on time and exactly the way the manager wanted it completed. The temporary employee also asks if he/she could try cutting a few steps to save time and come up with the same results.  And this happens several times over the course of a week. What do you think the hiring manager did? The temporary employee was hired.

The hiring manger wants the interviewee to be like the second temporary employee after the interviewee is hired and will use the small talk and question/answer format to determine which temporary employee the interviewee is.

Authentically answering the questions with positive body language provides the hiring manager with what they need to ensure the interviewee is the right fit for the position and the company.

Suggested questions for the Interviewee to ask:

·         About the position to determine if it is the work you really want to do.

·         About the department’s goals and objectives to determine if you can add value.

·         To determine if the hiring manger is a person you can work with.

·         About the team. Ask if you can meet one or two team members you will be working with.

·         What is the reason the position is open?

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