Job interviews work both ways

“Tell me about yourself” is the most common opening question in a job interview. By asking this, an interviewer may inadvertently signal they have not fully gone through the candidate’s CV. In reality, while the interviewer asks the questions, the candidate is quietly conducting a reverse interview. They are asking themselves, “Do I really want to work for this organisation, this person or in this role?”

The truth is, top talent has choices. They also need to be convinced that this is the right organisation, the right role and the right manager to support their career growth.

Very few organisations coach employees on how to conduct interviews. Yet the process leaves a lasting impression on candidates. It begins when they submit their CV, whether through LinkedIn or a company portal, and continues with how quickly HR responds. For entry-level roles, there may be competency tests, including case studies and team presentations, to assess both group and individual performance.

I have often found that candidates who stand out are unconventional. They may be bold in their thinking or positively provocative in how they approach problems. Hiring, however, is complex. There is no perfect formula.

Organisations invest significant time and money in recruitment, yet even then, the selected candidate may not be the right fit. Sometimes the candidate decides the role is not what they expected. At other times, the organisation concludes the individual is not working out.

A common mistake among hiring managers is to be overly impressed by fluency in English and personal flair. Even Jack Welch admitted in his autobiography that he made early hiring mistakes by favouring style over substance. Sandy Weill, former chief executive of Citigroup, took a different approach. He would invite senior candidates to dinner with their spouses and later seek his wife’s opinion on whether they would fit the organisation’s culture.

Candidates, for their part, should research the company before the interview. This may include preparing a short presentation outlining their understanding of the role, what they can bring and how they would approach the first 90 days. Interviewers, meanwhile, can seek feedback on candidates through professional networks or previous employers.

When Michael Carrick interviewed for the interim coach role at Manchester United, he reportedly presented a match-by-match strategy for the rest of the season. He secured the job and quickly improved the team’s performance, delivering one of the more notable coaching spells since Sir Alex Ferguson.

Organisations have a professional responsibility to treat candidates with respect, regardless of the position. One basic courtesy is to inform candidates of the outcome at the end of the process. Preparing for interviews requires significant time and effort, and candidates deserve closure.

Global organisations with strong human resource practices often call candidates and provide feedback. Others rely on automated emails to inform them they have not been selected. Less professional organisations do not respond at all. This “ghosting” has become common, and candidates are often better off moving on to other opportunities. As the saying goes, “When one door closes, another opens”.

The writer is a senior consultant for banks and financial institutions