In our first blog on how to get through difficult job interviews, we talked about the need to take control of your performance. As promised, this time we’ll discuss how to manage the interviewer.
Interviewers are people, too, and that means some will come into your meeting disorganized or unprepared, others will have preconceived notions, and still others will be just plain clueless or rude. Not everyone is a good interviewer.
Here are some tactics for coping with common types of lousy interviewers:
- The distracted dilly-dallier – You arrive on time, resume in hand, ready to talk about why you’re the best possible candidate for the job … and the interviewer is on the phone, shuffling papers or doing something on his computer screen. A distracted interviewer isn’t focused on what you have to say, so try saying nothing. A long silence might get his or her attention. If that doesn’t work, consider gently saying something like, “You seem very busy right now. Is this still a good time? Would you like to reschedule for when you’re more free?”
- The egregiously unprepared – Just a few minutes into any interview, you can tell whether the interviewer has bothered to review your resume and credentials, or look you up on LinkedIn. Interviewers who haven’t done their homework will ask basic questions they should already know the answer to. Answer those questions anyway, and take the opportunity to elaborate on why you are the best candidate for the job.
- The space cadet – At some point in your job search, you may encounter an interviewer who asks questions so random you wonder what medication he or she might be on. While “what kind of tree would you be” is good for an initial chuckle, it doesn’t really speak to your work experience. Answer out-there questions as succinctly as possible and redirect the conversation back to what really matters.
- The rude dude – Some interviewers think they’re in a position of power, and they take advantage. They’ll invite you in for what you think will be a one-on-one interview that actually turns out to be a cattle call. They’ll show up late. Some will even be snide, condescending or flat-out rude. You’ll have to gauge whether the rudeness is severe or minor, intentional or ignorant, and decide from there if you can overlook it or if you need to speak up. Don’t put up with bad behavior from an interviewer. You’re not that desperate for a job, and do you really want to work for a company with the poor judgment to employ a jerk in such an important role?
- The extremist – Yes, unfortunately, they’re still out there, but many have just gotten more subtle about it. If an interviewer asks you a question that’s illegal (such as about pregnancy, your plans to have children or whether you intend to marry your same-sex partner) you can try assuming they’re asked out of ignorance and not malicious intent. Instead of answering the question, or smacking the interviewer down by reminding him or her that the question is illegal, try to figure out why they’re asking. For example, if an interviewer says, “Do you have small children at home?” you could respond “Are you concerned that I might miss work? I’ve never missed a day in 15 years.” If the interviewer persists with inappropriate questions, you can try gently telling him you don’t usually hear this kind of request in an interview. If that fails to encourage him or her to behave, you may have to do some soul-searching as to how much you want the job.
When you find yourself face with a poor interviewer, it’s more important than ever to be on your game. You can still get the job, you may just have to work a little harder for it.
