Interviewing The Interviewer
I was watching Curb Your Enthusiasm last night, and Larry David was giving Leon some advice on how to win a job interview. He said, you have to flip it on him. You start out answering questions, but after a while, when you've given enough good answers, you have to, in more coarse terms, flip it on them.
You become the interviewer. Hilarious and uncomfortable humor aside, he's exactly right, at least for some kinds of jobs. This is the one and only time I'll suggest taking advice from the man who brought you The Contest.
The truth is that in some interviews, you should flip the script.
Certain jobs require, shall we say, a bit of ego, to be done correctly. I don't mean arrogance, but rather the confidence that you know how to achieve results and the awareness of what you're worth.
This group includes, but is not limited to;
Salespeople, managers, marketers, technophiles, knowledge workers, consultants, and anyone who has a rare skill or one honed over time and in demand.
To get the most out of your interview, someone in high demand has to do as much interviewing as they do answering. And a good interviewer is looking for just that. You know that point when the manager stops, puts down their notes, and asks you if you have any questions? She's not talking about the benefit plan at that point. She wants to know if you're the type of person she has to train, or the type of person that knows what needs to be done, and works with the manager to create an environment for success.
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If you're really an expert, you should know what works and what doesn't. It is at this point, that far too many people overestimate their ability to "adjust" to new working conditions. The smart jobseeker is looking for the conditions they have used before to get their job done. The person just looking for a job is either unaware of what it takes to be successful, or has too much confidence in their ability to adapt.
So flipping the script, is really a matter of peeling away the jargon and finding out if you can work with the interviewer. That is the overall point of the interview. Can you work with this person?
Do you know what the problem is with this advice? People not in demand, who have an easily replaceable skill, or perhaps who lack sufficient expertise, and who think the goal of an interview is to "win." Like a teenage girl who wants to be asked out only so she can say know, these jobseekers are the worst kind of interview. There's nothing worse than having someone ask you about the healthcare plan when you're just looking to staff the poolside hotdog stand for the summer.
p.s. Speaking of hotdog stand jobs - I worked that job for two years. It built character.
