Recruiting As Dating: The Interview Stage
Some time ago, I had a posting comparing online recruitment to online dating. Now, in this article, one can take the analogy to the next step.
Think about the last time you dated someone; what hints, cues, and other signals did he or she send that indicated his or her interest in dating you again?
In this article, the author offers a number of suggestions from a candidate’s perspective as to how to interpret a hiring manager’s interest (or lack thereof) in offering you a job.
Before I list them, however, I recommend you, the hiring manager, avoid going “too fast” in a job interview, as this interviewer attempted. I guess he took the analogy somewhat too “far.”
Anyhow, here are hints that an interviewer is NOT interested in purusing a “date” further; so, if you are a hiring manager, you may want to make sure you are sending the correct signals:
- Ends the interview quickly.
- Is vague about when or if he’ll call.
Here are some of the things an interviewer will do if he or she is interested in pursuing this further:
- Starts the interview on time, or apologizes if it starts late. Recognizes that your time is valuable.
- During the interview asks you about yourself and lets you do most of the talking because he or she wants to know as much as possible about you.
- Doesn’t criticize or belittle you, your education or experience. You don’t feel like you’re on the defensive.
- Doesn’t cut the interview short, but wants to spend as much time as possible with you.
More details can be found here.
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Unfortunately, in hiring as in dating, trying to read too much into subtle “signals” may unduly frustrate and foreclose the parties’ future possibilities.
Maybe that guy or gal that didn’t seem that interested will call and ask you out again; maybe you’ll get a second interview.
Those negative “signals” may reflect many things besides lack of interest: e.g., rudeness, inexperience, nervousness, overwork, etc. So interviewers take heed and learn from this article. But interviewees, you may not want to assume too much from subtle hints. If you’re still interested in the job, keep after it.
Take it from someone who has (largely) overcome years of reflexive and negative “assume the worst” thinking about the thoughts and reactions of others.