To think people say all the right things in interviews?

[YourDearHazelHare]

I’ve noticed that during interviews, people seem to say exactly what they think the employer wants to hear. Everyone presents themselves as perfect for the job, but then in reality, it doesn’t always match up. AIBU to think that most people are just rehearsing the right things to get the role, rather than being honest about their true abilities or work ethic? Have you experienced this, either as an interviewer or interviewee?

People do. But I blame companies for asking generic questions that anyone can answer if they are a smooth talker or study hard enough. But I am ND so hate any sort of fakeness, so I probably don’t sell myself well.

You'd be surprised. What people think you want to hear tells you about their thought process. An amazing volume of people, despite all the help available out there, continue to write shit CVs. Even at a senior level. Another big number are actually quite poor communicators - they are nervy, can't think on their feet, mumble

I also don't just judge the interview. Im drawing some of my own conclusions. If you've never stayed anywhere beyond 2 years, it tells me something.

I honestly wish we could just go in and say - Look, I'm smart, I get on with people, I can learn anything you need me to learn, I don't complain, just give me a shot!

wish I could put these as my core skills. I’d also add

Don’t start drama
Not interested in gossip
Take my turn in the tea round
Don’t mind coming into the office a few days week

Instead I have to make up a time I influenced an internal stakeholder.

20 years in HR and can say with authority that interviewing is an art. Lots of interviewers are too scared to probe and challenge candidates meaning they take them on face value and don’t truly test the qualities they are looking for.

It’s a costly mistake to make the wrong hire but some of them don’t learn!

If the job involves influencing internal stakeholders, your tea making abilities are not going to make the grade.

I interviewed for a job in my own department, not a promotion, more a side-step. More or less what I do now, with a couple of very minor changes.
I am not fantastic at interviews and despite my manager being on the panel, someone else interviewed better on the day and got it.
Obviously now out of their depth, department is struggling to find time to train them as already very busy. Guess who's been doing the odds and ends to get back on track and has picked it up within minutes?! Yeah... interviews where it's just a case of answering questions with what employers want to hear aren't at all effective imo.

"Why do you want to work for us" from places like McDonald's and Tesco is a stupid thing to ask.

People who are applying for these roles usually just want a job. Not very many people are desperate to work at Tesco specifically. I got made redundant last year and applied for everything going.

If people are willing to work hard that should be enough.

Well.. duh!!!

you don’t say sometimes I have bad days where I don’t really feel motivated. Some days I spend an extra 3 mins making a cuppa because I cba. Also I’m planning to get pregnant in the first couple of months and also I will always max my holiday leave and sick days

Well, obviously not as I said it's an opportunity to give specific examples that show you've understood what this job entails, and why it might be a good fit for you.

I don't think they're a good way of assessing people at all. It just tells you if the person is good at interviews.

I mean that is sort of the point of an interview right? People want to appear their best to secure a job..
My husbands field has loads of really technical questioning, tests to prove their abilities etc so they can easily weed out people who can't actually do what they're claiming to.
The office I work though has had issues with hiring people who turn out to just had been coached really well for their interview

And the prize for the most obvious OP of the year goes to...........

🤣🤣 I jest OP, but of course people say what they think employers want to hear. They want the job at the end of the day.

Are people really this stupid, of course they answer with what they want the interviewer to hear!
No one is going to say, people get on my tits, patients are a pain in the arse, I wish we could stop relatives coming in, I don't want to mentor junior staff, I really don't want to work but I have to, I don't want to do nights or weekends oh and I intend to take my full quota of sickness, don't try to involve HR, I know the policy backwards, are they

It's a poor way to test suitability but that's what we've chosen to stick with as a society.

So to be accepted for the job, you have to then artificially present yourself to tick the boxes that the interviewer has been conditioned to approve of.

All of it, from both sides, is insincere.

I once interviewed someone who was so unprepared it was shocking. He already worked for the company, but in a totally unrelated field. He said he wanted a change, I suspect he just saw a job advertised in his region at 3 times his salary and that's all he read. He seemed surprised when I told him what the role entailed. Lovely guy, but he couldn't even blag it!

I appreciate people being prepared, having an answer ready. I know it's likely embellished a bit, but I can tell from it and ongoing questioning what is true and what is an embellishment.

I don’t do this, I present what I believe is an honest picture of myself. However, the most recent job I went for (and am in) the panel presented themselves and the role quite differently to what it has turned out to be!!

Yes, of course they do, OP. The surprising thing is when someone goes off script. I like those people.

Of course!! I've interviewed prospective teachers and they obviously going to tell me that they intend to spend every weekend helping to lead DofE and they're very flexible in their teaching, so of course they'll happily take on Yr 7 French and Yr 10 Design technology. And they'd love to help out backstage on the school production of Grease 3x a week!

It is funny the last interview I did was for a senior management role where I was invited to an informal chat before the interview and then a typical interview.

I have since been told that I had got the job at the informal interview. The Board said that they were sick of people selling themselves at interviews but not being able to do what they said.

Some companies deserve to be lied to by the poor people they drag in for a three stage interview process after getting them to complete a long application form with a personalised cover letter, to ask ‘if you were a monkey which branch of a tree would you like to swing from’ or ‘if you had to be an item of crockery which would you choose’.

Yep, as others have said, a lot of this is down to the skills of an interviewer. A good interviewer doesn't just ask a question, listen to the answer and then move to the next question. You probe - you ask questions about their answer - you keep going until you are confident they've told you how skilled they are at doing something and whether it fits with what you're looking for.

Now yes, obviously, there are people who are very good at talking about things in theory but aren't able to actually do them. This is why you then have a probation period - its so that the employer can see whether you are actually able to do the things you said you could (and also so the employee can see whether they were sold a lie for a job!).

I think this is pretty obvious.

Of Course people are putting their best selves forward and will practice what should be said and prepare.

On the flip side, employers don’t tell you the shit party’s of the job either.

and interviews are set by employers. If they wanted people to be themselves, they wouldn’t be looking out for answers structured in the ‘STAR’ format (as an example) or expect people to answer in line with their company values.

IMO, as someone who interviews and employs people, most interview formats and set up are pretty shit.

I am, of course, being slightly facetious.

I have a 30 year career, in a field where this is commonplace.

fyi, I said I take my turn in the tea round, didn’t say I’m skilled at tea making

If you're being interviewed for a job then you are in effect selling your services to a prospective customer. The point of sales is to persuade someone to give you money for your product/service.

If you're a prospective customer who is easily taken in by a glossy sales pitch and don't know how to ask the questions that you need to be asking, then I'd suggest you shouldn't be the one making the buying decisions. Or, in this case, running the interview.

Unfortunately employers usually have very narrow views of what they want in employees so most people are going to present themselves as sociable, cheerful, always willing to help wit the ability to 'go the extra mile', a team player with a real 'passion' for whatever the organisation does.

If you are honest about the fact that actually you are more of an introvert who prefers a quiet environment and who also has clear boundaries when it comes to work life balance, the interviewer will see that as a negative.

Employers also lie through their teeth at interviews. My current job was completely misrepresented and I was actively misled about being able to WFH.

So it goes both ways.

Probably why the interview process is on the whole a really is pointless exercise in fakery.