I was reading, Nervous about an interview? Try this! and thought, hmm, I've said something like that before, haven't I?
I have, but in slides (for my Hiring for an Agile Team tutorial and workshop and in my other workshops) and in person, but not on this blog. So, let me say it here:
Good interviews are conversations. Period.
Good interviews do not surprise people. Good interviews build rapport with a candidate, learn about a candidate, preferably with behavior-description questions and auditions. Maybe with hypothetical questions. Maybe with a meta-question.
But good interviews should make a candidate (and an interviewer) think, not sweat.
I couldn’t agree more. As interviewer, I have used many of the techniques here on your site. Having been on both sides of the table in the past year, I found it easier to incorporate your suggestions and techniques when I was the interviewer, likely because I could drive the conversation easier from there.
And though I think most of us know in the back of our minds, as interviewees, that if the interview is more conversational it will go better, it can be hard to accomplish. Any technique that may help ease our anxiety is worth sharing.
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We interview people to recruit and not to reject. Hence a conversational way of interview yields best results rather than ‘I shoot you save’ kind of interviewer where interviewer’s ego over takes over. When interview becomes conversation, we get ample opportunity to understand candidate better. At fist place the candidates becomes comfortable and talks his heart out. That is precisely what interviewer wants know – what’s in candidate’s heart? What does he like? What makes him happy? What sort of things make him react? So on
That is so true! the interview is about opening up and uncovering the core values based on experience. the deeper the better. My goal on the interview is to figure out “how do you mean/think”.
Great blog! Thank you so much!
So true. Interviews are not something to be dreaded or nervous about. Interviews are done so the employer would get to know the applicant. If you’re too tense, that might give the employer a wring impression about you. Just relax, keep the conversation light and answer what is asked. Enjoy the interview while being very professional throughout the interview.