I said something in a previous article that made a few folks uncomfortable: you do not choose your employees; they choose you. Let me build on that now. The interview process goes both ways.
Yes, while you may choose to whom you extend an offer. It is the candidate who ultimately chooses where they will align their talents. What if you accept the offer and it turns out to be a bad choice? Start your search over.
I take employee reviews on places like Glassdoor or Indeed with a grain of salt because 80% of those are left by 20% of employees, most of whom had bad experiences, or most of which were left by management to make the company look good. Either way, the numbers tend to skew one way or the other.
If you want to get a sense of how the employees really feel about where they work, keep an eye on a few things:
- Does the company frequently post openings for the same or similar positions?
- How do the employees talk about their jobs as they walk past you in the lobby as you’re waiting?
- How often does the company have job openings in other departments?
- Engage the receptionist with a statement, “I read on LinkedIn that this was voted on of the best places to work in the city!” See how they react. Their facial expression will speak volumes.
- “I heard the person I’m meeting with is one of the best managers in the industry.” Wait for the reaction.
- Do some research on the company, then ask them questions during the interview about what you learned. “What were some of the biggest challenges you had when you did ___?”
Pro Tip: Prepare like a Lawyer: If you know the answers to the questions you’re asking, this allows you to gauge the interviewer’s honesty.
I once had a sales manager ask me, “If I were to pull up your social media, like Facebook, what would I see?” My response, “Not much. I rarely post anything.” I looked at his face, read his expression and body language before continuing: “Then you already knew that, which is why you asked, isn’t it?” He asked how I knew that. I smiled and said that was easy, but for the answer, he’d have to hire me.
Want to do something really radical if you’re an employer? Let the applicant sit down with three of their would-be peers and ask them about the company’s day-to-day culture.
- What is the person I’m interviewing with like before they’ve had their second cup of coffee?
- Are they a micromanager?
- Are they a person of their word?
- Will I hear one thing in the interview and experience something else once I accept the offer?
One note about my interview with the sales manager I read: No company should ask you to do any work for free as part of the interview process. There are too many places that use interviewing as a way to fish for marketing ideas or sales strategies.
If you can read people, read them, but don’t reveal how you read them. If you have a way you connect with someone on a cold call, don’t reveal it. I interviewed with a now-defunct radio cluster that asked to write as the final step in the interview process. I wrote one. It was used verbatim in a station promo the following week, despite the rejection email I received the afternoon I emailed it.
Remember, a great sales magician never reveals their secrets… at least until there’s a job offer.
Bottom Line: The interview process is a two-way street. Employers must understand that they are also “auditioning” for job seekers both before and after an offer is accepted.
