Typically the inept interviewer appears near the end of the hiring process, however, you should be ready for the inept interviewer to appear at any stage of the hiring process. This is not a major issue. It is just one of those things you have to be ready for and deal with in that moment.
First, let’s define what an inept interviewer is. They are smart, skilled and generally nice people. Because they are inept in interviewing, does not mean they are inept. Generally, an inept interviewer means that the interviewer has not been formally trained in interviewing techniques and/or they do not practice a lot. If you think about it, the limited practice is probably a good thing in terms of where this manager spends their time. Therefore, I will now refer to this interviewer as a “learner interviewer”. In effect, this person, left untrained and/or unpracticed, is learning how to interview as they go along.
Here’s what you can expect from a learner interviewer and what to do:
- Ambiguous Questions: there will be a time, if it hasn’t happened already, where you are the perfect candidate and yet the questions are so confusing and/or ambiguous that there really is no “correct” answer. No one is a mind reader so where’s what to do. Clarify, clarify and clarify. Either ask a question about that question (be careful about doing this – you may come across as being difficult) or offer up a scenario or a context first before answering the question directly. Be sure the scenario is directly related to the job or the industry when you do this. After doing this, ask your learner interviewer if this answered his or her question or ask if this answered what he or she was looking for.
- No One Monitors the Learner Interviewer: What does this mean? It means all is fair in questioning even when some questions are suspect. Your job is to get the job and not to play regulator or interpreter of the law. If you feel strong about something that you consider offensive that was asked, leave the interview politely and seek a professional. In the meantime, no matter what, keep composed, calm and positive. No one is monitoring the learner interviewer and you are not there to win a debate. You are there to get their approval for the job and you do this by answering questions in the best way you know how.
- They Turn to Their Gut Instincts for Answers: All buying decisions are emotional. Logic only gets us so far in life. Learner interviewers rely on this. In effect, they are “buying your answers” and then convert these answers into a job agreement. So how do you manage this? You can’t. Knowing that you are up against this is ninety percent of solving this issue. Relax, be focused and explain to the learner interview the benefits – yes, the benefits of hiring you. Just to be clear, benefits relate to saving time, saving money or making money. There is always a way to express yourself in one of these three ways. You getting an award is not a benefit – what you did to get that award may well be.
- Sometimes They Are Doing Us a Favor: This is a true story. I was being interviewed by a Vice President who, during the interview, continuously asked me ambiguous questions and frustrated me over and over again with other tough and what appeared to be ridiculous questions. I kept up the image, but was left wondering why he even asked me for the interview. Months later in my new job with a different organization, I ran into him at a trade show while I was tending the trade show booth. At break, we walked the floor together and I carefully told him what I thought about the past interview. He proceeded to explain the toxic culture I was walking into and that I would have been miserable if he had given me the job. He only understood this of me after meeting me personally in that interview. Since then, he had left the company too. I laughed and so did he. I walked back to my booth with him and presented to him my product line. He had started his own business since leaving his job and was looking for lines similar to ours to resell. From that day forward, he became a very good customer of mine.
Experienced interviewers are trained to stay in charge of the interview. The interview process is predictable. Because other managers do not interview as part of their day to day work or may not be trained in interviewing, these managers may not be as skilled in interviewing – they are learner interviewers. They may even get uncomfortable or nervous during the interview.
You now have another framework to help you navigate the interviewing process. Always remember regardless of whom is interviewing you, to be focused on what is present and what is next. You know the end point – you get the job or you don’t get the job, so spend no more time nor energy on this. It is far more productive and important to spend your energy on what is present and what is next.
You’ve all read that the odds are stacked against you. You can still come out the winner by paying close attention to the details of interest of your prospective employer. On the other hand, hearing “no” is one step closer to “yes” – in moments of frustration, remember this. If an organization has a requirement, someone has to get the job. It may as well be you.
