To think that job interviewers have got it wrong?

[WingsOnMyBoots]

I went for a job interview last week. I was a bit early and so had a chat with the main person who was conducting the interview before we went into the interview room.

She seemed quite friendly and it was a nice relaxed atmosphere. When the interview started it was like she was a different person and she slipped into that harsh, mean, interview mode where you feel like they're not believing anything you say, giving visible 'winces' and pulling not very encouraging faces and generally being stony-faced and disapproving as if they think you're an idiot.

My point is - this seems to be a common interviewing technique but I don't believe it is the best way to conduct an interview. People shine at their best and are their true selves when the atmosphere is friendlier and more relaxed. Surely the interviewer should want to see a person's true self not try to make the interviewee worried, anxious and under pressure. You don't get the best out people with this tactic in my opinion.

I understand that with some jobs it can be about how you handle pressure but this really wasn't that sort of job. Surely all that's happening is you are pushing a person to see how confident and hard a person is rather than finding someone suitable to fulfill that role.

What do you think?

I agree that sounds awful but I've never experienced this in an interview! I've generally found my interviewers warm and friendly. She won't be getting the best from people I'm sure.

I have had exactly this recently!! I couldn’t believe how stoney faced and unfriendly they were in the room and heads down the entire time, decided there and then I wouldn’t want it even if I was offered it, I get that they maybe want all interviewees to have the same experience (ie no chit chat outside formal questions) to avoid any issues but seemed so deliberately off putting to me! An interesting point I have heard is that you are investing a lot of time and effort in them so you are in essence interviewing them too, epic fail on their part then!

I always think of a job interview as me interviewing the panel too, I once went to a job where my prospective manager looked actively bored. It was a flashing red light and the job was a nightmare. It then became difficult to find another suitable job so quickly. Quite frankly I would have taken a major pay drop to get out ASAP. With that in mind, I would turn down any job where any member of the panel treated me like that.

Interviews are absolutely a two way thing. I have ended interviews early when it became obvious it wasn't a good fit. It had been arranged by an agency, and I immediately called them and told them what happened. The agency refused to send them more candidates if they it happened again!

I have also told an interviewer that I'm not the right person for the job then had a friendly chat about what they were trying to achieve and suggested some people to contact

Mostly though, my experience has been meeting friendly, interesting people that I've largely clicked with.

Best of luck with your job hunt!

I recently had the opposite experience. The HR manager seemed like one of the friendliest people you could meet. I met her on a few occasions and each time she was lovely.

Then she called me to offer me the job, but with unfavourable terms and she turned into a monster. She was really rude and spoke to me like an idiot.

I turned down the job in the end, not because of her, but she didn't help.

I was interviewed recently and one of them spent the whole time replying to emails.

I once has to do an assessment centre thing before the interview process. The woman running it was a complete bitch - she told someone off, there were no laptops so you had to hand write a press release and a plan and it was just a terrible atmosphere. I still regret not just walking out. I didn't even get to the interview stage !

I used to work in recruitment and always kept interviews pretty relaxed. I agree that people shine when they’re comfortable and it’s hard to get any clear idea of what a person is capable of when they’re a bundle of nerves.

You will, of course, get some people who will tell you that it's your own fault but I think YANBU. The trend is increasingly towards the interview process becoming a twisted mess, designed to elicit yes-people and discouraging those who may challenge the party line or cosy dynamics. Especially in the civil service!

What gets me is that it must be hard to interview candidates (who are usually nervous) too, why would an interviewer deliberately want to make it an even less pleasant experience and waste everyone’s time!?

I feel for you OP

there was one place where I turned down a second interview - they couldn't believe it and the feedback I gave to the recruiter was that they were so unfriendly I didn't feel it would be the right place for me to work.

that was polite - they weren't just unfriendly, they were as you describe, wincing and making faces and doing body language of "everyone in the room is being bad cop today".

They replied back via the recruiter saying "we always do this to candidates to see how they respond and see if they can maintain a smiling face and good attitude and you did, so what's the problem?"

my problem was that I don't want to work for a place that has such a bizarre attitude in the first place! I can understand designating good cop, bad cop - just about - but a panel of 4 bad cops? Fuck off.

hope you have better luck next time OP

To be honest in most cases they do this because they have already identified the hire (and it’s not you).

Depends on the field. In mine they need to know you respond well under pressure. So they are generally assholes.

There's never a need to be wincing like that during an interview and tbh I wouldn't want to work with her. Having said that, I do believe some people are unaware of their facial expressions.

I agree, OP. Although being able to perform under pressure is a component of many jobs (and obviously for some jobs it's essential), it's not the most important thing, and when I interview I am conscious that the interviewee will be nervous so try to put them at their ease. In the roles I recruit for, the key thing is good command of technical knowledge and skills, so I don't want them seizing up with panic but able to demonstrate what they really know.

Just before the last interview I did, I pointed out to my fellow interviewer some minor errors in the applicant's CV. As soon as we started the interview, my colleague confronted him about these errors in quite an aggressive way. I'm not sure what it achieved.

@WomaninGreen - yes, when I interview I keep in mind that it's also about the applicant assessing the employer - both sides are trying to decide if it's a good fit. And I want them to think "this guy would be a good person to work with" so that they accept the job if it's offered. (That doesn't mean I won't ask tough questions - they should be prepared for that in a job interview!).

Is it the case that they are under a scoring scheme. I have been to some where they weren't even allowed to engage with you. It was a 're structure scenario though but it was deadly silent and one way. After that interviews were similar but with limited interaction, they were busy writing every word down to score later.
I knew people on these panels who were lovely but they couldn't show favour to a candidate. I however when interview, try to draw candidates out and make them feel comfortable. The organisation I am employed for is a checklist!