JobsBlog Rewind: this is one of our most populars posts and was originally written in 2005.
First of all, I hate this expression …. “HR Interview.” I dislike it when candidates say it. I detest it when Hiring Managers say it. I detest it when Scoble says it. I detest it.
Why, you may ask, do I dislike that phrase so much? Well, besides the fact I despise being called anything HR (I know,
Office Professional 2007 Key, I know – I work in HR,
Office Enterprise 2007, so I should get over it), I resent the connotation that comes long with it. And I resent the way people say it … as if it is beneath them or just a silly, meaningless hoop they must jump through. (“Oooh, it was just the HR Interview. I thought you were talking about a real interview,
Buy Office 2007!”)
I Detest it! And now I digress … The HR Interview (which I will henceforth refer to as the Core Competency Interview) is the Achilles heel of many a potential job seeker. You’ve submitted a great resume and received a call from a recruiter. Now you must face the next challenge.
I’m sure Microsoft’s Core Competency Interview process is no different than the next company’s process so the information you see here can be applied broadly.
Who does this recruiter think he/she is asking me these stupid questions?
Oh, yes. We know what you’re thinking … don’t think we don’t! While you may feel the questions posed to you during a Core Competency Interview are a mindless waste of your time, let me enlighten you. Next to maybe the most experienced interviewers in the company, Recruiters are top interviewers. We are rigorously trained on the importance and art of the Core Comp Interview, and our skill is continually honed with periodic trainings and observations/critics by peers. We look for the talents and behaviors most essential to success in our company (often traits that can’t be “learned” or “taught”) and know about 10 different ways to access a candidate’s proficiency in these areas.
We may play dumb, and yes, we often do to throw you off. (You talk more when you think we don’t know what you are saying.) But we <ok, most of us> are more intelligent than you think. I mean, c’mon, we interview people for a living … and plus, do you think Bill is actually going to pay me to waste my time asking meaningless questions?
I don’t think so.
But why not just have a Hiring Manager interview me directly?
A Core Comp interview often gets at … well,
Microsoft Office Standard 2010, just that … Core Competencies. In reality, Software Test Engineer Core Comp interviews aren’t that different from Product Manager Core Comp interviews and Recruiter Core Comp interviews. When a Recruiter is performing a Core Comp interview, he/she is looking for a general match for a profile, regardless of specifics. A Hiring Manager is looking for match for a specific job description, and you’ll find the questions posed in a Hiring Manager Interview are more job related (and technical – if you are a technical candidate) then in a Core Comp interview.
Also, Hiring Managers don’t have the time to speak to all candidates. Recruiters are the gatekeepers to gather information in determining next steps in a process. We interview many, many more candidates then a Hiring Manager ever sees.
So who has the say on whether or not I get to the Hiring Manager interview?
It totally depends on candidate, situation, recruiter, and Hiring Manager. Often Recruiters make the call. Sometimes Hiring Managers make the call. And even other times, Hiring Managers go with the complete opposite call of the Recruiter. (Maybe they don’t trust the Recruiter; maybe it’s just to spite them. I actually don’t know.)
So essentially, that’s not an easy question to answer, but your initial line of business should be to impress the Recruiter. That, at least, gets your foot in the door.
Phone Screen Faux Pas: What should I avoid in a Core Comp Interview?
Obviously, some of these offenses are greater than others, but to ensure a successful result, steer clear of these. I should also say that when a phone interview goes poorly, it’s because a combination of these problems … or 1 problem repeating itself over … and over … and over again.
Lie – This comes in many forms. Sometimes I will catch a candidate lying on a resume. Sometimes I’ll catch a candidate lying about something the candidate doesn’t already know I know. Sometimes a candidate will even admit to lying when answering a question. You’d be surprised with what we hear.
Give up – The worst is when I hear “I don’t know” or “I’ll think about it and e-mail you later” to my questions.
Don’t try - This really is different (and worse) then just giving up. People who don’t try to tackle a question are telling me it’s not worth their time to speak with me. I’ve even had candidate refuse to answer certain questions because they think they are silly or not applicable. Which leads to my next point …
Have a poor attitude – Again, I wouldn’t be spending my time talking to you if I wasn’t interested in your skill set, so don’t insult me by acting they you couldn’t care less about talking to me.
Act too slick – You have not pulled the wool over my eyes – even if I play along with your game. I’m still the one asking the questions.
Follow your own agenda – Some examples are candidates who answer questions that weren’t asked … or (my biggest pet peeve) candidates who just launch into their work history without giving me an opportunity to ask the initial question. When this happens, I’ll try to cut in a few times, but if they don’t let me in (which often they don’t), I’ll let them rattle on and then conclude the “interview.” And that leads to …
Talk, talk, talk without taking a breath – The most successful interviewees can read their audience. Part of this is gauging the interviewer’s interest and understanding. Instead of rambling on for 15 minutes, pause and ask the interviewer if you should continue or if he/she has more specific questions on this topic.
Rely on your resume as a crutch – I’ve read your resume, but I want to understand who you are beyond your resume. Don’t continually ask me to refer to Page 2, Paragraph 3 of your resume. Just tell me about it in your own words, even if you are reiterating what you wrote.
Name drop – Unless you can get me backstage passes to the next Dave Matthews show, I actually don’t care who you know.
Pee or take a bath while we are talking - Yes, this has happened. Sad but true.
I know I forgot some good ones. I’ll be sure to write another post when I think of more Phone Screen No-Nos.
Phone Screen Successes – How to win over your Interviewer
Be real and honest – Just relax and let the answers come from your heart. You’ll do better … guaranteed.
Tell me about YOU – not your team or product – When I ask about a project, I want to know YOUR contribution. Don’t be afraid to brag about your accomplishments. The spot light is on you!
Get to the point – I think about Donald Trump on The Apprentice with this 1. Ever notice how Donald gets genuinely peeved when he asks a direct question and the candidate hems and haws before getting to the real answer? Well, same here.
Loosen up and have fun – Again, this will allow the real you to shine through.
Ask questions about the questions – If you don’t understand something, ask me to clarify. Sometimes my questions are designed to prompt you to ask more questions. It’s ok to be curious.
Problem solve together – This kind of goes along with the “ask questions about the questions” point. It’s ok to interact with your interviewer. Discussion will often help reveal the answer.
No matter what … give it you best try! – You don’t know how many people e-mail me, telling me how how passionate they are about working for Microsoft, and then when I talk to them,
Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus, it seems they couldn’t be more bothered than by answering my questions. I have to believe part of this really is just nerves. So above all else, just give an interview your best try. No matter what is going on, key yourself up for 30 minutes and get ready to do some intellectual sparring.
The best candidates will tell you phone interviews are a lot of fun. So relax and enjoy it!
Next time …. The dreaded “HR Interview” Part 2: The In-person Interview. Tips and Tricks for how to conduct yourself when meeting with a Recruiter in-person."
Til then ….
gretchen
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