Having experienced interviews from both sides of the table, and after watching this video, I can't stop cringing. Why? Look at it this way; does Penny Arcade really know these people? No, they don't...but they'll judge them like they do, and soon two people will be sent packing because they "didn't fit."When will people realize that you can never be yourself at an interview? You're there because you're asking a group of strangers to give you money on a regular basis. Does that sound like a normal situation to you? No, you're going to put on a show for these people, and dazzle them with your persuasive charm; you're not going to act normal.
The age-old saying about books and covers instantly comes to mind, and interviews are just that -- judging covers. These three applicants probably have identical portfolios and credentials, but the ultimate decider is how they present (i.e. sell) themselves? I feel bad for the applicants that get turned down simply because they said "yes," when they should have brought up an amusing anecdote instead.
Interviews are stressful, time-consuming, and, most of all, nowhere near an accurate portrayal of a person. Having conducted interviews myself, I can say almost all of the people that were accepted became completely different people once they sat down to work -- both better and worse -- and I couldn't blame the interview for this. There was no way I could accurately judge a person's performance in the workplace without literally seeing them perform in the workplace. Eventually, the interview criteria became simply performance-based, and questions were more like explanations, and it seemed to have worked out better for the group.
This video demonstrates to me the futility of interviews. If I can't be witty, or pithy, or other things that end with a "y," why bother competing against the people who can? It all sounds like a quick ride to disappointment and self-loathing...
...and it sucks to be there.
the social questions are always fun to ask- and you can learn a lot about them. But you're right about the person not being the same following the interview. The only successful scenario was the lab manager who would interview all the newbies, if she didn't she would scold the head scientists, BUT! her only quota was if her kids would like them, I think it worked.
ReplyDeleteYeah; everyone has a different criteria for hiring. It seems the best strategy is to either: a) know the criteria beforehand, or b) ignore the criteria. There never seems to be success in *trying*.
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