OT- Callilng all BAF Managers or folks that conduct interviews.

Morning BAF!!

Just in case you are wondering I have "googled" this question but wondering if you had any personal interviewing tips? If you've interviewed folks what made you give them the job or what did some folks do to make you say...........I would never hire them?

I'm a manager but haven't interviewed anyone in the last 2 years. I can remember interviewing my assistant and she kept saying my name while answering questions............may sound weird but that's one of the reasons I chose her.

I will be job hunting really soon and it's been 10 years since I've had an interview.

Any tips?

  hey lady!!!

I can tell you what's been the 'it' for me with the people I've hired - and I've conducted TONS of interviews over the years.....

-- questions that demonstrate research and understanding of the company/business unit/industry

-- questions about the mgmt style and team interaction
-- questions about performance management cycle

-- email/letter after the interview thanking me for my time and some extra snippet on why they want to work for me

Turn OFFS.....
-- questions about HR policy regarding leave of absence

-- questions about corrective action for attendance

-- poor use of language, the 'uhhhh' syndrome
-- inabilty to answer a question - if I ask 'tell me about a time you were challenged to work with
and you say you've never had a problem - red flag - you lyin
-- and this is really my pet peeve....... don't go 'sister girl' if the person is Black.  I hate when 'my' people think they have an 'in' cause we share color of skin......

 

I ran my own engineering and inport business and the biggest thing I looked for was proof of knowledge.

I like people who I could train and have complete confidence in, so when I was out of the country they didn't have to call me with frivilous questions.

I've had to interview a few people in my day so I'll play along:

Pluses:

Candidate account of his/her background showed an extensive and varied work history that went beyond the buzzwords listed on the resume.

Candidate helped to make the interview engaging and refreshing with their responses.

Candidate asked questions of interviewer. ( tip of the day - ALWAYS have atleast 5 questions listed to ask the interviewer at the end of the interview!)

 Minuses:

Candidate was very vague as to how they would manage others if given the chance in a mock scenario. (This showed no "potential leadership" ability.)

Candidate just looked like they didn't want to be there (wandering eyes, looking down or to the side during the interview, fidgety). 

Candidate appeared to be a bit of a know it all.  (true story: Once interviewed a kid coming out of college for an entry-level computer engineer slot with my current company.  During the interview he began to challenge me very passionately, without cause or provocation mind you, why he thought that Linux is better than the IBM mainframes.  Who cares?  Tell it to the folks at the unemployment office.  See ya...) 

ahhh - that youthful ideal that folk care about WHO you are and WHAT you think.....

those were the days........

My favorite one to tell though is about the time I interviewed a guy who was in his mid-50s for a key technical role with my last company.  When he got to the office we offered him some water or a cup of coffee and he took the bait.  Never take the water or coffee!  Sipping on his cup he got real comfortable in his seat, leaned back, and then, you guessed it - "ffwooop," let out a semi-loud fart!  Well I don't know if you know it or not but farts in general make me laugh , so I did.  This guy had the nerve to try and cover it up by patting his feet on the floor like old people do in hopes that I would be distracted by the noise he made.  He probably would have gotten away with it too but the smell tried to make a special appearance as an extra added attraction. 

After the interview I told my manager the story and he said with the straightest face, "Well I don't think we need anyone to fill the position of  Resident Farter around here.  That's my job."  I was cracking up for the rest of the day.
 

  and !!!

i made a chick cry once - well - not ME, but the question I asked. 

"Define the terms intent and impact, then explain their relationship"

She got so flustered - she couldn't think of answer then got all upset!  My HR mgr STILL tells that story!

MM...........now that was a rough one. So the key would be to breathe and answer the questions as best you can huh? Yeah, I need to do my homework and be ready. I've only applied for one job so far and that's because I was referred to it. I'm hoping I can at least make the list to be interviewed.

Funny thing is that I’m not looking for the answer to be perfectly CORRECT – I just want to judge the speed at which the candidate can articulate a thought – how they speak ‘on the fly’.  Most other interview questions are canned, and they have researched and prepared responses.  This question tells me how well they think on their feet and how they may sound with a client if asked a difficult or ‘trick’ question.  

 

It was a question in the interview I had at my last company – ever since it was asked of me, I’ve used it in every interview I’ve conducted since.  LOVE IT!!

If you can go on several practice interviews.  This way you'll be road-tested and battle-ready when it's time to do your "real" interview.