Job Search & Career Blog

Bob The Interviewer

September 12th, 2007

Bob Williams is the interviewer for a position in his company. He has set up a great interview schedule and will see a total of 20 job candidates spread out over four days. Bob’s department wants to make a decision by the following week so he has to make assessments quickly. As he begins interviewing, what might make Bob notice and remember a particular candidate? The following ten observations might put a candidate into the finalist pool.

• Appearance. If a candidate has dressed appropriately for the interview, it will score points. Wrinkled, stained, ill-fitting, and unflattering clothes do not add to a positive assessment of a candidate. It really isn’t about how much the clothes cost either. The impression is created by the selection of clothing, the fit, and its appropriateness for a work situation. Bob thinks that if someone does not come to an interview dressed well, how will they show up for work?
• Timeliness. Bob appreciates it when candidates come on time or better yet early. His schedule doesn’t allow for much play. If a candidate is late for the interview, then Bob will end up taking it out of their allotted minutes in most cases. This means that the candidate has much less time to make an impression on Bob. Candidates should always make a “dry run” before interview day so that they are absolutely sure of how to get there and where to park. Leaving early for an interview is also a good idea just in case there is more traffic than usual. Nothing is more annoying in a company than chronic tardiness.
• Observation. Bob will be impressed by a candidate who is observant. If a candidate comes in with questions based in part on information obtained on the Internet website or from company literature, this is a positive. It shows initiative and natural curiosity. If a candidate has noticed something while in the waiting room such as a painting on the wall, an award or a plaque, again, this creates a positive impression. Bob’s thinking is that if the candidate is paying attention to all of these things, the candidate will also pay attention when he is working for the company.

“Bob will be impressed by a candidate who is observant”.

• Questions. Bob appreciates a good question. Usually, he has to ask the questions and lead the discussion but when the candidate comes up with a great question, he takes notice. In fact, there is some truth to the fact that the interviewer should be doing quite a bit of talking as well. Questions indicate that the individual being interviewed wants to learn. However, asking too many self-serving questions like, “How long does it usually take someone in this position to advance?, Would I have a window in my office? or What type of computer would I be using?” might swing the interviewer’s impression over to the negative side. Companies want to know what the candidate can do for the company, not necessarily the other way around.
• Humor. Humor might even factor right at the top of the list in some cases. The company is probably not interested in hiring the next company clown, but a candidate who displays a sense of humor often makes a very positive impression. Even if Bob is a dour guy who does not seem to be the type to appreciate it, he still might notice a smile or an attempt to respond to his attempts at humor. What kind of humor? This is a sticky question. The job candidate should be careful not to poke too much fun at himself and certainly not at the expense of the company either.
• Work Experience. The candidate who can talk about his work experience with just enough detail to show he knows his stuff will stand out. If there were negatives in the last job and there always are, the candidate’s ability to mention them but put them in a positive light will impress Bob. For example, “I found that my productivity was hampered by the computer equipment. We had frequent outages and problems with viruses.” The candidate isn’t blaming anyone for the difficulties but he is showing that he cares about doing the job well and can do a much better job with better equipment.
• Lifestyle. When Bob senses that the candidate is coming from a secure lifestyle, it makes an impression. The last thing a company wants to take on is a new employee’s problems. Bob knows that problems normally cost the company money and productivity. A candidate who comes in prepared, who isn’t talking about car trouble, who doesn’t seem distracted or preoccupied, who found his way to the interview, who seems to be a glass half full guy, and who seems to have his life together is certainly going to make it further in Bob’s mind.
• First Question. If Bob’s first question to the candidate is, “Tell me a little bit about you,” then the candidate ought to have prepared something to get Bob’s full attention. A rambling statement about work, education, and home just isn’t going to do much. Bob has seen the resume and knows the basics, so he is looking for something deeper in this first statement. If the candidate says something like, “With the experience I have gained, I am really looking forward to doing high quality work in a new environment,” Bob might sit up and pay attention. Sometimes the first question gives the interviewer a chance to shuffle papers around the desk. Bob would probably remember if he didn’t get the chance.
• Handshake. One of the easiest ways to leave a bad impression on Bob is with a limp handshake. Knowing how to shake hands is important. Sometimes men seem to have an advantage in that area and perhaps get more experience. Women should be sure to work at this small element of a successful job interview. If there is absolutely no gusto in the handshake, Bob might start wondering if the employee lacks confidence or is socially challenged.

Bob is trying to be objective during the interview process. Among the 20 persons that he will see, one of them will be the closest match to the position and he wants to do his best to find him or her. Even with all of Bob’s best efforts, however, Bob is human. Naturally, there are candidates who gain his attention right from the start and who leave an impression on him. After a good interview, it would be hard for Bob not to give some evidence of his enthusiasm for the candidate. The way Bob shakes the interviewer’s hand at the end, the words he chooses to end the session, and his body language are often clues.

After a trying day of meeting new people, what makes Bob remember one person over another? The ten differentiators above might play a part in that subjective thought process.

Photo Credit flickr

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 at 7:28 pm and is filed under Job Interview. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

3 Responses to “Bob The Interviewer”

1. lexa Says:
   November 30th, 1999 at 12:00 am

   All of these are very valid points. When you are being interviewed, being neat, prepared, and on time speak as loud as your resume. They want to know that you know what you are doing [the resume helps portray this] but they also want to know that the whole package is good, together, and able to function at a high level as they require it. There’s more to an interview than just simply showing up and what you say; preparation is vital!

2. nina Says:
   November 30th, 1999 at 12:00 am

   While it does matter if you have proper work experiences to back up yourself and your resume, what if you are new and fresh out of college? Can being able to lead the interview and be able to competently answer all an interviewer’s questions balance this lack of experience out?

3. A job at Google a job in heaven | Cvtips Blog Says:
   January 22nd, 2008 at 3:51 pm

   […] worried worried they might not find the best applicants using ‘traditional hiring hiring methods. The sheer size of Google, which has 10,000 employees world wide, is becoming a burden, and the […]

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