Interviews - Facts & Myths.

Interviews, Interviewing - Facts and Myths.

What is an Interview, and what is Interviewing...?

To put it in a nutshell, Interview is a process of understanding the candidate and his experience, expertise/interests and match them to the JD - Job description. Simply put : Interview is a talk, dialogue between two or more people to achieve a common objective ( Selection / to check suitability )

So why am I talking about the word - Myth....?

To many, majority of the people, they feel Interview a question & answer session, where the prospective employer asks a set of mundane questions, and expects " Right " answers. :) It is NOT a Q&As. Not about Q&A . :) There are no right or wrong answers - its about what you gained in your experience, expertise level how do you solve a problem. .. period.

Many people / my candidates who attend the Interview tell me " Sir, I have answered all the questions well" Good ..!! to them its a Question paper / exam where they attempt all or maximum questions and get good grades. So I tell them, its not about grades/marks. :)

First of all Interviews are not an Exam to face with fear / tension. I tell this with my global experience spanning over 26 years into HR/Talent Acquisition, I have interviewed over 20 thousands people across all the levels,functions and geographies. From campus to laterals to CXOs/Leadership hiring. From HR, Finance, International Sales/Mtkg, Ops and to Technology, from the North America, to UK/EU and to 16 countries.

To table my thoughts :

1st: Interview is two way street /process. Let's understand this very clearly. Once this points is clear in mind, many queries will be solved. Confidence is gained.

It is a two way process to understand each other - Client should understand the candidate and vice versa.

My Second take is : Both are important to each other. A Co / client needs good candidates, and candidates also needs a good job/company. Hence candidates are NOT at the mercy of any client/company and vice versa. Both should like and accept each other, there should be synergy in thinking.

3rd critical point is : Both are inter-dependent on each other. Here the job of the Recruiter becomes paramount, recruiters goes through a herculean task of going through hundreds/thousands of resumes, shortlists a fraction for Interview. I truly appreciate their work. ( Though it is the most thankless job on earth, yet, it is very important job in my view ) They act as gate keepers and let in only the best talent to company they work for. To get a job done company needs talent, candidate also need a company to work for their living.

4th bullet: Asking Questions : During Interviews, it is observed candidates seldom ask genuine, relevant questions to the employer, which is not correct. They have equal right to know - what kind of a culture company has, job prospects, certifications/trainings..etc.

Employers also show interest for active candidates who ask relevant questions.

Hence, Interviews or Interviewing is a meeting / dialogue between two people to ascertain the matching and mapping of the position / common synergies. :)

Dos:

1. Prepare well / visit Co URL, spend good time to understand the company and its culture. Jot down the valid points.
2. Prepare a check list of the questions that you have / wanted to know , ask those in interview.
3. Get clarity about the Job / Role- your responsibilities /KRAs. Employer's expectation about you / role.

Finally, enjoy the talk/discussion/opportunity ( Interview ) you have with your prospective employer and crack it by becoming the best version of yourself.

Good Luck. Thank you. :)