Career Lessons From My Recruiting Desk Part II: Interviewing in 2009

What are your greatest strengths? I am always a little surprised when I still hear people say that interview questions like this one are still the most popular. One dimensional questions like this are not the most popular among sophisticated, well trained Hiring Managers and Recruiting professionals.

In old fashioned interviews you will indeed be asked questions like, "What are your strengths?" However, more and more companies have begun to employee behavioral interviewing. Behavioral interviewing was developed by industrial psychologists in the 1970's. It is based on the premise that past behavior is an accurate predictor of future behavior in a job environment. Statistics show that behavioral interviewing is five times more accurate than the traditional interview style for choosing the right candidates. As a result more and more companies looking to save money by making the "right" hires are integrating this technique into their recruiting practices.

Behavioral interviewing is a technique that digs much more deeply into a candidates experience by inviting candidates to share from real work or life behavior. In a traditional job-interview, you can usually get away with telling the interviewer what he or she wants to hear, even if you are stretching the truth. However, it's much more difficult to give responses that are untrue in a behavioral interview. In a behavioral interview the interviewer can drill down to get the specifics. For instance, they may ask follow up questions that include, "What were you thinking at that point?" or "What made you decide to choose that specific action as opposed to another choice?" If the truth is being stretched there is a good chance your response won't hold up among this deeper questioning. Candidates who thoroughly tell the interviewer about particular situations that relate to each question will be far more effective and successful than those who remain general.

Your responses to behavioral interview questions will take the S-T-A-R approach.

1. S or T - Describe the situation or task
2. A - Describe the action you took in the context of the situation or task
3. R- What was the result of your action.

A typical behavioral interviewing question might be: "Tell me about a time when you overcame a crisis, solved a problem, dealt with failure, had to manage someone's performance, etc."

Tips to prepare for behavioral interviewing:

1. Company research
So that you have a deep understanding of what skills you need to showcase during the interview be sure to do your company research and take the time to ensure your understanding of the position you are being considered for.

2. Accomplishments
Whether you are actively interviewing or happily employed always keep an ongoing journal of all of your great accomplishments. Also, include details regarding your accomplishments in alignment with the behavioral interview "S-T-A-R" structure. By doing this you are prepared at a moment's notice to present information about yourself in this format.

3. Stories
Prepare for interviews as if you are crafting a twenty to thirty minute presentation about yourself including a series of short thirty second to one minute stories. This gives you an opportunity to present yourself as the expert and the solution to a company's problems. Story topics might include illustrations about how you functioned as an effective team player, how you handled difficult situations on projects or with employees ,how you overcame a challenging sales presentation. It is quite likely that an interviewer will want to explore your behavior under stress by asking about how you overcame seemingly negative situations. Therefore, be sure that your stories include difficulties and challenges you overcame.

4. Solutions
In my last "Lessons From My Recruiting Desk" I encouraged you to present yourself as a solution to problems. Behavioral interviewing also gives you an opportunity to showcase yourself as a solution by choosing to illustrate professionally challenging situations that you managed with aplomb.

With this kind of preparation you are well on your way to interviewing confidently and gracefully. However, I have also seen candidates so well prepared that they flood their interviewers with too much information too soon. Think of an interview like a dance. When you dance you take one step at a time allowing your partner to step in sync. Take one step at a time in an interview by allowing your interviewer to ask their questions. Answer with targeted information that sufficiently addresses the specific question. On the flip side some of my most frustrating memories as a recruiter are from when I had to make significant effort to pull information from candidates who were ill-prepared and not providing sufficient information. My suggestion? Find a balance and run with it and you will give a memorable, impressive interview!

*** In an ever-changing world Jason's coaching empowers you to start living life on your terms, creating a career and life based on personal integrity and authenticity! Learn more at www.jmannino.com and request a free copy of Jason's career coaching e-book: Swinging Through the Unemployment Jungle by e-mailing [e-mail] Follow Jason Mannino on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jasonmannino

Comments

[Pippen]

I've seen this ritual alot. Not a little but alot.

Both for upper crust managers and academics and for support functional roles to get the work done. And both are so flawed it begs for common sense.

But lets be honest here. HR doesn't hire based on talent and work ethic it hires based on politics. It's a human thing. It's corrupt in it's nature and it's forever, because HUMANS run HR.

If my boss is black and I need to hire a team to finish a project, I am confident I'm going to hire more black consultants than any other ethnicity. Why ? Because it would assist my career path. And THATS what's important here NOT FAIRNESS, NOT YOUR RIGHTS or your Equal Opportunity. WHY? Because THAT IS HOW CORPORATE AMERICA is designed. Its political amoeba.

Its Survivor. And if you don't make those decisions politically YOU GET VOTED OFF THE ISLAND.

Wake up. Your in a dream land.

[Niasia]

Thanks for the tips.

[NevaforLeadership]

Had fun on this site. I have spent far too much time on it. As a business owner, personnel matters interest me greatly. I hope my employees never have to go through the entrenched conventional wisdom of corporate HR. My resources (people and cash) are far too valuable for that.

Signing off now.

[111]

I think this post illustrates how much job hunters have to educated about what is happening in the hiring process. The recruiter is excluding people, not looking for reasons to hire them.

Cynthia Shapiro offers the best insider information on what is happening in the process. I highly recommend her books and website in addition to what has been written here.

[NevaforLeadership]

Thanks, 111.

As I am now in the process of building my own organization beyond the conventional wisdom, I look forward to checking her out.

Heading there right now.

[garystartswithg]

i hired my own staff because i couldn't stand the marginal at best people that were left over from the weeding out process. standardized isn't quality. to me demonstrating an open mind and that you would be easily trainable were far more important than any 70s pseudo-psy­chological mumbo jumbo.

the people that transferred to under me were often a mixed bag because i didn't have much say other than accepting the fact that they deserved something for longevity and loyalty. among them though were people that i don't know how they got through a first interview -- a nymphomaniac that attacked males at work, a woman that would scream for 30 minutes to all day if someones desk wasn't up to her "clean" standards (of course nobodys desk was), and a creepy pervy guy that ended up going on to being a teacher that ended up trying to get oral sex from students for better grades. all three weren't surprises -- in about 30 seconds its easy to tell something was seriously wrong. but they met standards so they were in. i just can't imagine sitting through an interview with any of them and thinking they would be a good hire.

[NevaforLeadership]

Just checked Cynthia Shapiro's website out. The design is great, and it looks very professional; however, it's actually not a very good website. My marketing guru would tear it to pieces. It's all about her. Succussful websites need to be all about clients, their needs, and what you are going to do for them.

Thanks for the referral, though. I'll know her name from now on.

Getting back to your post. In excluding people, rather than seeking out reasons to hire them, companies miss the strengths that could bring their next revenue jump; their next innovation; or the next business paradigm shift.

[muscleboundH]

Nevaforleadership has a "MARKETING GURU" who would tear Cynthia Shapiro's website to peices!

She has a "MARKETING GURU"....how depthful!

[Jason Mannino - Huffpost Blogger]

Here is an excerpt from Cynthia Shapiro's book, in which she essentially with good intention sets out to do what I have done here, demystify a frequently used and common interviewing technique called behavioral interviewing.

Have fun;

http://books.google.com/books?id=2xg_355yw2MC&pg=PA101&lpg=PA101&dq=%22cynthia+shapiro%22+behavioral+interviewing&source=bl&ots=cp-mtPthWm&sig=hg6ReOVhgAqPdjvX9ckhMs80cVw&hl=en&ei=1UBaStLAIpOqtgP5t-mDCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1

[a riot]

It's this kind of corporate pseudo-science crap that drives the truly talented and creative employees away in droves. If you can't tell how effective a prospective employee is going to be without your misguided HR pop-psychology tricks then I certainly don't want to work for you. Why not save time and just ask the interviewee what their favorite color is hire them based on the answer?

The central problem is that you have to be smart to know smart. You have to be creative to know creative. HR people are usually neither, and so they are typically the worst people to evaluate prospective employees.

[Pippen]

Bingo ! I totally agree. I've worked in Corporate America for 18 years and the interviewing process is glorified and ceremonialized and small goats are sacrificed and virgins are danced around and tied to stakes during a full moon with the only result being HR likes to toot their own horn. Period.

If you want an employee that works out well for the position. Ask the bastard who's doing the job now and will be their colleague!! I can assure you, if you find the guy who's busting their ass for you HE CAN TELL YOU what to look for or better yet, LET HIM be part of the hiring process.

You don't need a book or a degree to know people. But you do have to have CREDIBILITY and EXPERIENCE. None of either does HR exhibit. Lump those into Talent and Creativity.

Bottom line, you get what you pay for. If you hire a savvy academic with lots of talent and creativity but zero work ethic you get crap. It's like this, if you urinate in Wolf Gang Puks Chateau Briand, you dont get a great meal with a flaw you get uneatable garbage. Some flaws matter.

Stop looking for the talent and creativity and look for the flaws. If you find someone who LOOKS like you and ACTS like you but cant seem to get to work on time for 4 years, YOUR hiring process is a failure.

[rbryanh]

I have just read the word "depthful." Yes. "Depthful." Let's all say it aloud together. "Depthful, depthful, depthful..."

Are you laughing yet?

Now imagine you are entering a situation where a man who says things like "depthful" is going quantify you and determine your future. Are you crying yet?

Depthful, depthful, depthful... Do you hate him yet? More importantly, do you feel dirty? Do hate yourself for the polite, interested expression you've pasted on your face in lieu of laughing hysterically? That little twinge of self loathing is the last gasp of your spirit.

Run! Run from the nice recruiter's office. Shriek "He said 'depthful'!" as you stagger down the hall in your interview shoes. Shout "Depthful!" at the receptionist, the security guard, and the cars in the echoing parking garage. Cry "DEPTHFUL!" to the heavens of an absurd universe.

No amount of money, health insurance, security, or social approval is worth being subjected to "depthful." Rock your soul in your arms and say, "There, there... I'll find a way to make ends meet and I'll never, ever let 'depthful' get you."

[GunneraGirl]

may the universe bless you one hundredfold for this post. faved, fanned, and deeply appreciated.

as i read this i thought who would turn themselves over to this sort of micro-inve­stigation? are we all just sheep to the slaughter?

and thank you for noting that
we don't die at all once, we die by inches.

[muscleboundH]

The article is about PREPARING people for interviews for jobs THEY WANT. It's not as if YOU have no choice on where you apply for work. You DO have a choice. If you don't like a company's management style or the way they screen applicants, THEN PASS on the opportunity and go work where you don't have to "sell out".

I hear McDonald's has a pretty easy screening process. The hardest question is when they ask you where you see yourself in 5 years. Be sure to answer: "I see myself as at least an assistant manager...maybe even a manager." That way you can deceive them and they can deceive you.

[muscleboundH]

WOW. Someone is REALLY bitter.

Sure "depthful" is not an actual word, but you get his meaning I am sure.

And perhaps consider putting away the stones when living in a glass house as your statement,

"Now imagine you are entering a situation where a man who says things like "depthful" is going quantify you and determine your future."

makes no sense...you know, the part around ..."is going quantify you..."

Anyway, try to be happy someday. I thumbed through your other postings and have yet to come across one that says anything positive. I am sure I speak for everyone when I say that I hope your life gets better and that you find a real debthful happiness. :O)

[NevaforLeadership]

rbryanh's post was terrific.

Said it all about superficial job interviews and an industry that is badly in need of a shakeup.

So what -- a line with some unintended typos, as opposed to an intended "depthful."

MuscleboundH, you need to change your perspective to a glass half full instead of half empty.

Let's use rbryanh's post as an allegory. Think of it as a job interview, if you will. Had you been the interviewer, you would have passed the candidate over -- too cynical for your precious, positive company. Caught up in the expected, right responses to your narrow script, you would have missed the candidate's incredible strength: creativity.

Instead you would have picked the candidate who had rehearsed all the right answers to your script the night before. You would not have fulfilled your mandate, as the innovative candidate with spontaneous creativity walked out the door, while you chose the rehearsed candidate to join your mediocre team of "depthfuls."

[americanfabius]

Well said, muscle.

[NevaforLeadership]

Great post, rbryanh.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Love it.

From the same mindset that thinks "intensive" is not an adjective, but a new-agey weekend workshop.

[113]

What I would look for in candidates:

1) qualification (education, etc...)

2) personal philosophy about my business/o­rganizatio­ns mission...how passionate are they about this mission? Do they have a worldview that this business/o­rganizatio­n fits into? (basically has the candidate really thought about WHY they want to join the organization..is it just to make money to keep up with the jones's or are they trying to fulfill a lifelong mission?

3) Loyalty-how loyal are you to my organizations mission and what would you sacrifice in order to attain our goals

4) What is their philosophy on work in general...How do they define "working hard" (i would be looking for candidates who understand that hard work is not how much effort you put into busy-work...hard work is the ability to genuinely challenge one's own beliefs and mentally commit yourself to a collective effort)

5) Which of these options does the candidate value more: Significantly MORE money with much less vacation time and stricter environment OR Significantly more vacation time and a much more casual environment for LESS pay (i'd be looking for candidates who fit the latter)

2-5 are all questions to judge the character of the candidate...and i would be able to weed out the majority of candidates who think a certain way (i.e. people who value money above all, people who would sacrifice living just to show they work hard, people who have never developed a coherent worldview)

[muscleboundH]

Some of the psychology of the naysayers in here is pretty transparent. It seems like they simply failed at a recent interview because they don't understand that different companies use different techniques for screening applicants.

The interviewing process is constantly changing as technology changes/as corporate needs change/as norms of social and societal (work place behavior) change etc. So it makes sense behavioral interviewing is the mode du jour.

I think this article hits the nail on the head. Some of us in sales realize we are interviewed EVERY DAY when we meet with a client. We interview them, they interview us. One must be AWARE of and prepared to use and understand behavioral interviewing. Experience and knowledge are TRULY what make you a viable candidate. So why some of the people in here simply write off what Mr. Mannino has to say, are perhaps, simply unable to adapt to hiring trends.

[NevaforLeadership]

"Experience and knowledge are TRULY what make you a viable candidate."

Wrong. Experience and knowledge are a factor, but passion, strengths, goals, ethics (honesty and decency) are what TRULY make a viable candidate.

[muscleboundH]

Not so fast NEVA.

Passion, strength, goals, ethics, honesty and decency are all based on EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE: whether personal or professional. Life's EXPERIENCES allow you to form your passions, strengths, goals, ethics etc. SO yes indeed one's EXPERIENCE and KNOWLEDGE are what make a viable candidate. And a TALENTED recruiter will recognize these elements in potential job candidates.

Being adversarial and cynical are often times just forms of misdirected anger.

[HamletsMill]

Where I work we hire only from direct candidate referrals from the friends and family of the people that already work here. We hire by a system of Intuitive Divine Geometry (IDG). We are looking for people who all once worked together ALREADY in some other prior existence in some other Universe. We look for people who were once of the "COSMIC POD" already. When that person walks in, you just know. So far it is working. The unit cohesion and work ethic among these people is incredible. These people would lay down their lives for each other. Every day is the offense of the Pittsburgh Steelers in what we do. It is an honor to come to work each day and be with these amazing people. It is working. Our revenues are growing even in this economy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4xi7eA68og

[Jason Mannino - Huffpost Blogger]

HamlestMill:

It is amazing to hear how well this is working for you. And yes, it is definitey wise to hire people through the people who work for you, who are the best ambassadors of what goes on within the organization.

Thank you for sharing!

[HamletsMill]

Thanks you. I did find your article helpful and archived it to pass on to a nephew and his friends who just graduated from college. It is always good to pre-focus on a logical framework of some sort before going into any situation. Again, much thanks for your article!

[calfacon]

You forgot THE most important tip - Don't be OLD!

[Jason Mannino - Huffpost Blogger]

Through your humor you raise a serious point here. Even with a significant amount of talent among baby boomers, ageism does still exist in the workplace.

Thank you for raising this issue.

Take care!
Jason

[SparkyAdams]

ageism does still exist in the workplace.

--

Thanks for the news, Rip van Winkle!

[Chaimirija]

But, Jason, don't you think employers are making a mistake by not hiring people who can add value?

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Jason,

For me being yourself... being genuine and being prepared are important ... also being honest and willing to learn... showing you are passionate about what you do and being respectful

Being able to listen... take notes if necessary

essentially ...do your best and leave the rest

Cheers,

Ed

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear Jason,

Your article includes some very relevant points. Being well-prepared makes sense to me and being able to illustrate strengths more than just say what they are has to be more engaging in my view.

I appreciate the words of encouragement you are offering here.

Blessings to you,
Anne

[Jason Mannino - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for your support Anne! It's always a ray of light to see you here and to feel the support.

take care!
Jason

[Chaimirija]

Tech people really hate these kinds of interviews. I understand it is important to hire people who basically play well with others, but when it comes to method development or coding, most of the work you produce is from inside your head. I had an interview for a lab position, and they never even asked about what instruments I was familiar with, it was all personality questions! Like, where do I put my car keys when I get home...did I ever accidently hurt someone's feeling at work, and how did I rectify it.

What it came down to was this: the Manager really liked me...the supervisor did not...I think I was too pleasant for her tastes

[Jason Mannino - Huffpost Blogger]

Chaimirija:

I hear you! Techie folks, well, are more techincal. There should be a good balance of questions included. Based on the experience you describe here my guess is that the folks who interviewed probably weren't technical themselves or they may have been able to include more behavioral questions that related directly to technical issues.

However, it's important, particularly for tech folks who want to be on a management track to hone the people side of the equation. I have a colleague who was a self proclaimed "tech geek" who is now a coach, one of his specialty areas is working with these individuals to coach them on interpersonal skills in the workplace.

Thanks for sharing!
Jason

[Chaimirija]

You have a new fan. On reflection, I think you are spot on about the technical expertise...at least in the supervisor's case.

PS: In my first ever professional job, my first review was full of praise for my ability to get along with everyone...lol:)

[legalize it]

Bravo ! I thought I was the only one who thought this way. I'd hire anyone who could give a thoughtful, constructive, articulate critique of past work experiences, over someone who follows some scripted expectation.

Critiques keep everyone honest. Perhaps an interviewer who thinks otherwise is just insecure about their own value.

[fleaba]

I had an interview this past spring where the regional sales manager of a national company which sells piping to the industrial sector. When the guy first came in, he told me he didn't like to do a standard interview. He said that he didn't like to sit across the table and that he would sit a couple of chairs next to me, but not because he wanted to hold my hand. The manager called me a square peg that needed to fit in a round hole. He also told me that in the first 90 days he could fire me for reason, even one as frivolous as not liking the way I slurped water and that I could quit for any reason, but after thgse 90 days we were "stuck together". He went on a tirade about how he couldn't stand the fact that other sales people in a nearby department were just standing around while there was a lot of work to do in his department. He asked me what my response would be to working hard on a project when others around me weren't working. I told him that it would really be none of my business. Uh-oh, wrong answer, I guess. as his eyes got huge and he almost responded angrily. I eventually e-mailed the HR department of the company to let them know they had a potential liability on their hands. There are no correct answers for idiots like this.

[stevensnell]

Wow, that's a lot of warning signs!

[Jason Mannino - Huffpost Blogger]

I commend you for taking the action and letting HR about the potential liability. Yes, unfortunately, as much as there are effective, great, recruiting executives and hiring managers who are skilled interviewers there are also plenty of examples like the one you site here.

Thank you for sharing!
Jason