What do you / don't you want to hear from a candidate in an interview?

[TLO]

As I've moved up in my company, I'm less involved in the hiring process for new employees.

I kind of miss it though. The good interviews. The bad ones. The absolute train wrecks.

Anyway, what are things you like to hear from candidates? What don't you want to hear people talk about?

[Otter]

"So, when do I start?".

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by TLO

As I've moved up in my company, I'm less involved in the hiring process for new employees.

I kind of miss it though. The good interviews. The bad ones. The absolute train wrecks.

Anyway, what are things you like to hear from candidates? What don't you want to hear people talk about?

Interviewing candidates can be one of the most enjoyable tasks but also one of the most irritating and annoying. Part of the reason I am glad I am retired...

There are just too many things that I have had occur that made it annoying that there is not enough space here to discuss. Overconfident/overselling yourself us a major one....asking about the culture at the company 2 minutes into the interview....interrupting someone while they are asking a question...

Those are just a couple of them...

[jdubya]

I was in the fire department and when I was part of interviews, the person I liked was the kid that was so excited to be a FF it even amped me up. I didnt like the guys that did the monotone blah blah blah answers. I liked the guys that looked excited to work with you.

[T-post Tom]

Don’t want to hear (esp. from a man), “You make me feel like a little girl.” (As he rubs his nipples between his thumbs & forefingers.) That happened. (Originally part of a SNL skit.)

[lewdog]

I will be brutally honest.

I don't want to hear them bring up being a single parent. A person who uses that in an interview, without being questioned about their personal life, is telling you they are going to have problems getting to work.

Again, I don't care if you are a single parent. But it's a red flag in an interview if you throw that out there unprovoked. I've seen it too many times. If you're leading with that, it means you're struggling as a single parent and this will have a huge impact on the business I'm trying to run.

[Delano]

I enjoy when an interview is like a conversation. I like when the questions come from both parties (and when the HR rep is quiet). I like seeing genuine passion from candidates.

I fully realize that I play as big a part in these things happening as the candidate. If I treat people like a number, it sets the bar low - no matter the interviewee.

[CapsLockKey]

Easiest way to guarantee you aren't getting the job is at any point saying "so I'm not sure I even want this job but..."

I've seen and know a handful of people who did this thinking it's some sort of power move.

[stumppy]

What I'm wanting to hear?

'Hooters is just my part time job'

[Vladimir_Kyrilytch]

For technical accounting positions I ask "what is your favorite FASB pronouncement and why?" A decent accountant should know plenty of those and have opinions on them. If they can't even name one, that's such an easy way to weed out shitty applicants.

Generally I like "describe a time you had a disagreement with a coworker and how you resolved it". All kinds of tells come out of that.

Then of course "do you have any questions for me?". If they say no, that's not a good answer. That's someone that hasn't even really contemplated the job. If they ask about pay/vacation/benefits/etc, that's even worse.

[JPH83]

Very early on I was asked in an interview "what's your philosophy" I was probably 21 at the time. Closest thing I had to one was maybe "not to work for someone who asks me what my philosophy is".

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

Only an idiot has the ringer on during an interview.

We had one of those idiots once, and not only did he have his ringer on....well... take a guess...