Enjoy the interview and learn
As I interview externally for the first time in many years, I have to confess that I really enjoy interviewing (especially face to face). I certainly don’t switch companies often (4 employers in 23 years), so I realize this is just a temporary period. However, after several phone interviews and a few face to face interviews, I believe enjoying the process leads to better communication and a lot less stress.
First, it is great to just meet another person or a few different people during the interview. Thus far, the people I’ve met have been personable and intelligent. It is fascinating to learn about their experience with the company, rather than just reading external reviews. If you are a sports fan, this is like talking to one of the coaches about the team, rather than just reading about your favorite team in the newspaper. I’ve already learned about several great local companies that are growing rapidly with exciting products.
Second, I get to learn firsthand about the business and the challenges it faces. A company is hiring to fill a need, so learning about that gap is critical to understanding how I might potentially fill it. Sometimes, the gap is incredibly large and I realize my experience/skills aren’t the right match. I’m actually fine with that discovery, as it would be much worse to take the position and make the problem worse. When researching companies via their website or annual reports, I see the cleansed version. When talking with hiring managers about gaps, I learn needs such as major system overhauls, product concepts that need to be developed, and the drive for efficiency. The situations faced by these companies have a lot in common across all industries.
Finally, the interview provides a chance to remember past successes. As the hiring manager explains their situation and asks if I have the appropriate experience, I get to reminisce about the past 23 years. With succinct resumes, there is no way to capture years of experience in detail. For me, this is enjoyable (it may not be that way for everyone). I’ve found myself reaching out to some of those past managers/co-workers after the interview just to see how they are doing. It is fun to discuss these situations with some detail.
In summary, I truly enjoy interviewing. I’m not saying that I want to do it the rest of my career (i.e. dating was fun, but I much prefer marriage). My recommendation to all of those interviewing both externally and internally is to enjoy the process.
Mike Younkman
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net