WHAT TO DO WITH HOSTILE INTERVIEWERS

Hostile interviewers – a personal example

Do hostile interviews still happen? Unfortunately, yes. There are still plenty of tales of candidates being harangued by hostile interviewers. To give an example, I have personally been asked as the first question in a job interview, ‘I don’t know why they want me to see you, I don’t need an HR manager, your CV’s totally irrelevant to the job – what on earth have you got that I’d be interested in?’ Great! It really made me feel like working for that person!

First, don’t get too concerned about this sort of thing. This style of interviewing is becoming more and more rare. The aim was to put the candidate under pressure and see how they responded. Even if you were ultimately offered the job, would you take it? Could you work for someone who behaved like that? Are you confident enough to deal with a situation like this, or could it upset you, or even permanently reduce your self-confidence? This type of interview also said a lot about the likely management style within the company! Don’t take such comments to heart. Hostile interviewers do exist, so you need to prepare in case you do have the misfortune to come across one.

The facts and some reasons

Secondly, let’s remember the facts. They chose to interview you. Nobody put a gun to their head! Therefore it follows logically that you have something they are interested in. So why on earth do some interviewers behave in a hostile manner?

To put you under pressure

This was the case in the above example. The interviewer wanted to make sure that any candidate hired would have the ability to stand up for themselves and the company under pressure and/or stress. It would have been a very stressful job, so perhaps the point needed to be assessed, but there was a better way in which this could have been done. This technique is often called the ‘stress interview’.

Nervousness

Some interviewers are so nervous that they’re slightly afraid of candidates. So they are a little aggressive to keep themselves in control of the situation – to show you who’s boss. It’s basically insecurity, so not something to worry about too much. If an interviewer is nervous of you, they must think you’re a good candidate!

Testing determination

Some interviewers want to reassure themselves that you do really want the job. So they try to put you off a little, to see if you will get put off or whether you’ll stay interested. It’s ‘prove you want the job’ mentality, and really just testing your intentions and enthusiasm.

Genuine reaction testing

In some roles you will be dealing with the public, irate customers etc. So sometimes interviewers will be a little hostile with good reason – to assess how you react. They need to reassure themselves that you won’t get defensive, or get aggressive back, especially if you will be dealing with difficult customers.

Bad interviewing

Let’s face it, unfortunately there are just some bad interviewers out there – untrained, overzealous, pressurised people trying to do an interview without the relevant skills.

You just need to remember that none of this is about you, it’s always about them, so don’t let it get to you.

Never

• Turn the tables. Being hostile back rarely works.
• Try to rise above it by being clever. Being cleverer than the interviewer will probably threaten them, and they may get more hostile and difficult. It doesn’t make you appear intelligent and capable, it often only makes you seem arrogant and a know-all.

HANDLING POOR QUESTIONS AND INTERVIEWERS

The poor interviewer

• Remember, employer interviews are rarely conducted by interviewing experts.
• Some interviewers may never have been trained to interview.
• They may be as nervous as you – or even more.
• If an interviewer is very nervous, try asking them a question to show interest and encourage them to relax.
• If they ask confusing or unclear questions, don’t be afraid to ask them what they mean. You can’t answer a question unless you understand it!

The pointless interview

If interviewers comment that they don’t know why they are interviewing you, it’s very frustrating. You have prepared to be interviewed for a vacancy, now it seems as if the interviewer doesn’t even know if the vacancy exists. This is a horrid situation – it’s tempting to think ‘what’s the point’, but thinking like this will only make you give a very unenthusiastic performance.

First, the interviewer may be uninformed. They may be standing in for someone else, or even interviewing as part of a process. Just because they don’t understand it, it doesn’t mean there is no vacancy.

Secondly, this is really a chance to shine. You have a person within the company here in front of you and who knows, if they like you, they may know of something else you might be a good match for. Thinking like this keeps you enthusiastic and motivated.

If all else fails, chalk it up to experience and face it as a learning experience. Use the opportunity to polish your interview technique.

HANDLING THE DELICATE SUBJECT OF MONEY

Candidates are very often asked for information about their current salary. There are some golden rules that can help you out here – it is rarely in your best interests to give such information if you can possibly avoid it.

Only negotiate with people who have the authority to negotiate

The person who is interviewing you often does not have the authority to negotiate your salary or compensation. This will be particularly true in initial interviews, where the interviewer is acting as a screener to the next level. If you are asked at this stage what your salary requirements are, they are probably trying to decide whether or not to pass you forward for a second interview. So being evasive may not help.

Be vague

A good response is, ‘I really like the job you’ve described, so I will consider any reasonable offer.’ Never give a monetary figure if at all possible.

If under pressure

If you feel under pressure to give a salary expectation, always give them a range. The lower number should never be below what you require (your minimum requirement), or below the price advertised for the job if there has been one. Your upper number should be a reasonable amount higher than your lower one, and if you know the salary or range for the job, approximately ten per cent higher than that. So if a job advertisement states £25,000–27,000, and you need to earn at least £24,000, say £25–27,500.

For further advice see Chapter 8, Interviews and Meetings, to Discuss Offers.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

The process after this interview varies, depending on the role, the company and their recruitment processes. You are now dealing with the company or organisation itself, and they often have a defined recruitment process to follow. You may find yourself being interviewed by another person, perhaps someone more senior like a manager or head of the department. You may also find another interview is necessary with personnel or human resources.

Basically, more interviews are good news. It shows that you are progressing through the recruitment process of that company without being ruled out for the job. Candidates sometimes complain about having to go to several interviews at a company before they can make a decision. Of course this can be frustrating, but the more people you see the more chance you have of getting the job.

On the other hand, the more people you see the better chance you have of getting another job within the company, if you aren’t chosen for the one you were interviewed for. If you don’t get the job they may still have a suitable role in another department, or another role may come up soon.

More than one interview

A very rough rule of thumb is that it’s rare to be offered a job after only one interview at a company. Larger companies tend to also require an interview with personnel or human resources. Complex roles may also involve meetings, interviews or discussions with others you will be working with, or managers of teams you will be dealing with regularly.

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