“The Job Interview” from an ex-HR Practitioner’s “Point of view”

When you conduct a job interview, do you complete the A to Z list of the questions even though you will not be shortlisting or hiring the candidate?

Or do you stop short the moment you realize that this candidate is not really what you are looking for?

What if you realize from the moment the candidate steps into the room, or the moment he speaks, or the moment he extends that handshake that you decide that this is one person you will definitely not want to hire?

That is less than 5 minutes into an interview. Do you say “thank you for coming” after say 5 minutes? Stand up, extend that handshake and make your way to the door?

Or do you belong to the 2nd group below?

You continue to go through the entire list of questions and when you hit the 55th minute mark, stand up and conduct that handshake ritual? After all, the poor candidate probably waited for you at the reception for 15 minutes before he got to meet you?

Well, I used to belong to the 2nd group when I was a HR practitioner. Not anymore now, since I only meet my candidates only if I wish to pursue him/her further after that phone call?

But why did I choose to be “indirect” then? And continue to not only waste my time? But also waste the candidate’s time? A total of 2 hours short of 10 minutes? His 55 minutes + my 55 minutes?

To those who prefer to be “direct”. You say that we are just being productive. Let us not waste each other’s time? Why drag the interview any longer and waste another 2 persons' 55 minutes.

But what if by doing the “5 minute interview”, the candidate feels offended? “I waited for you for 15 minutes and all you did was just a mere 5 minutes evaluating me?”

What if the candidate lodges a complaint and I get fired for doing a just “5 minute interview”?

Well. Not only did I damage my reputation but I also tainted my company’s image?

But did those 55 minutes multiplied by 2 persons multiplied by the hundreds of interviews I did over 20 years prevent “damages” to the companies I worked for as well as my reputation? Were those many times 55 minutes spent justified?

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