Not that a skilled interviewer will try to trap you. This is quite the opposite. They won't even subject you to any unnecessary stress if they can help it. But their questions and their interviewing techniques may be so skilled that you find yourself saying things you didn't mean to say.
Six Signs of an Experienced Interviewer
- Experienced interviewers lay out the job. They tell you what they are looking for up front. The interviewer may not begin by describing the job, but at some point during the interview, they will describe the culture of the company, the kind of department you'll be responsible for, the areas of responsibility, and the functions of the job. He will go through your background with you to see if there's a good fit.
- Experienced interviewers ask double-edged questions. These are questions that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. Examples of this kind of question are:
Tell me what you especially enjoy about your present job?
What was the biggest problem you've encountered in your present job?
What do you think will be the major obstacle in this job if you decide to take it?
What would you consider to be the elements of your background that have most prepared you to handle this job?
- Experienced interviewers get you to say more than you intend to say. Mostly, this occurs through the use of restatement and reinterpretation. In the former instance, they will re-state what you have said: "So you think there aren't any drawbacks to taking this job. Is that correct?" Then they’ll wait for your answer, and you will usually blurt out some drawback that weighs heavily on your mind but that you hadn't thought appropriate to discuss with him. The truth is that you should discuss any drawbacks to the job with your prospective employer, but the way to do it is with planning and forethought, not by getting caught in a way that makes you base your subconscious thoughts in a disorganized way.
A good interviewer also may attempt to interpret something you have said: "You lost that job because you challenged the boss, but you think that was an unusually difficult boss?" Again, an appeal has been made to your subconscious. You have given your prepared answer, but now you're being asked the same question in a slightly different way. The answer is, "Yes, I've given that a lot of thought, and I think that was indeed the situation." What's more likely to come tumbling out of your mouth is something like this: "Well, actually, I have had some trouble with authority in my past and I think in some ways I rebelled against my boss inappropriately." Needless to say, this information has no place during an executive-level interview.
- Experienced interviewers act empathic. By acting empathic, the interviewer is testing you, and they are trying to get you to reveal a prejudice or weakness. The police use empathy to get criminals to confess; good interviewers know this works equally well during job interviews. The interviewer will give you lots of empathy in order to make you say things that will put you in a bad light. For example: "I understand things have been pretty rough over there." You open up and tell him just how rough things are on your present job, and he decides you are a disloyal crybaby. "I've been out of work, and I know how it feels." One job candidate broke down and started crying when an interviewer said this to him. Even the toughest person will unload too much if he's not aware of what is going on.
Equally destructive is the sympathetic nod. You tell a sexist joke or make a slightly racist remark (just to test the waters, you tell yourself) or talk about politics or the economy. (You would be surprised how often comments like this will come tumbling out of your mouth at the wrong time, or maybe you think it is the right time since you've heard how conservative this interviewer's politics are.) You get a sympathetic nod, so you continue. What you don't know is that you have just hung yourself. Even if the interviewer or the company is known for its political alignments, and you have spouted the right party line, the subject was inappropriate for an interview. And you lose.
The interview will be friendly enough but short. You will never hear from the interviewer again. The nod was a ploy, something that was used to get you to put your foot in your mouth. It worked. Unfortunately, no one looks like executive material with his foot in his mouth.
- Experienced interviewers use compliments to get you talking. People melt a little when they are complimented even by their worst enemy, and when a compliment comes from a prospective boss, well, it has a tendency to make one a little more talkative, to make one open up a little more. Don't succumb to this; simply smile and say thank you when a compliment comes your way.
- Experienced interviewers ask disarming questions. This is similar to all the other techniques--in fact, all these techniques are similar in that the interviewer tries to win your confidence so that you will talk more openly with him than you might otherwise or than you should. To disarm you, an interviewer will tell a short story about a mistake he's made, and then ask or imply that you have probably done something equally silly. The next thing you know you are describing something very silly that you did--something so silly that the interviewer realizes he doesn't want to hire you.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of a Good Interviewer
Good interviewers are skilled, and you can get a good, fair interview from one. But you can also fall into a lot of traps if you aren't savvy enough to spot their techniques and counter them if need be. You shouldn't be dishonest with these interviewers; just don't let them talk you into saying more than you should. Particularly beware of camaraderie that develops during an interview. You aren't on the same team yet.
See the following articles for more information:
- How to Start on the Right Foot in Your New Job
- What Are the Sources to Find the Information You Need
- The Background of Application Process
- How to Network and Take an Information Interview
