Stop asking me that!

Interviewing in a pandemic was interesting to say the least. Interesting in the way you see the more things change, the more they stay the same. So, I plead with hiring managers, HR people or whomever was roped into doing the phone interview…STOP ASKING THOSE STUPID SCRIPTED QUESTIONS! Throw away whatever 1950’s “Dick and Jane Conduct an Interview” handbook you’re getting them from!

Over my twenty plus years working in IT and the digital arena I have had more than my share of interviews as the interviewer and interviewee. More times than I can count as an interviewee I have been asked questions such as, “What’s your greatest strength and weakness?”, “How would you handle a difficult situation in the workplace?” or my personal favorite “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Inherently whoever is asking those questions is pretty much going to get the same answer from almost EVERY candidate. Answers ranging from, “I’m a strong communicator and my weakness is I may work too hard.” to “I hope to continue to work for this great company and support my team.” Canned answers for even older canned questions. After a while asking those questions and receiving those answers, I don’t see how potential employees don’t seem like cardboard cutouts eventually.

During the pandemic I had a few interviews, and they all asked those same questions. This befuddled my brain because in the time during the pandemic EVERYONE’S “plans for the future” got flushed down the toilet so how could they even ask that?! When they asked me that old stale question, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” my answer was not what they had come to expect.

I told them, “I can’t tell you where I see myself in five years because a year ago, I didn’t expect to see myself here. I think everyone’s expectations have changed. I can tell you where I would I like to be in five years around the “wishful thinking” type expectation. But as far as any set plans in the next five years I can’t predict that. I have sharpened my skills in adapting to any situation though.”

Another question thrown at me during the pandemic was, “Do you prefer to work fully remote or more of a hybrid model?” B.C. (before Covid), I would have said I preferred the hybrid model. I didn’t mind going into the office and socializing with my coworkers (whom I liked).  But let’s be honest, between meetings, soul sucking fluorescent lights and suicide inducing drab interior there’s only so much work you can get done there. Now I prefer fully remote where I can listen to podcasts or music, not shower, take a break to daydream and pet my cat while he tries to type on my keyboard. It’s much more productive and relaxing environment than the cubicle prison we’ve all been working in.

When I conducted interviews, I would usually skip over the candidates work experience and technical skills on their resume. All those things can be taught and after that information all looks the same. I usually zeroed in on any sort of personal information they had on their resume like interests, hobbies, volunteerism. After they were done giving me an overview of their experience, I would try to find a personal connection. I learned more about the potential employee asking these questions then regurgitating those scripted and outdated interview questions. I would get to know the person I may be working with. Whether they’re someone I can count on to do the job. If they display humility. Those are people I’d want on my team. So, throw away your Flintstone interview script and simply talk to the candidate.  You’re looking for the best PERSON for the job, not the best robot.