Inside the interview: A Job Seeker's Guide to Understanding the Interviewer's Perspective
- 1. Inside the Interview A Job Seeker’s Guide to Understanding the Interviewer’s Perspective By MedReps.com
- 2. In an ongoing effort to provide value to customers, MedReps.com recently published a “Guide to Effective Interviewing” for our job-posting members. Full of interview questions and techniques, the guide offers practical strategies to help medical sales managers interview job candidates. As the MedReps writers compiled the research for the Guide, they quickly realized how valuable the information would be to candidates on the other side of the interview. It would almost be like seeing the competitor’s playbook! The guide that follows contains the same information we provided to our job-posting members, in some cases, rewritten to address the candidate’s perspective. Read on to learn about the various styles and techniques used by hiring managers in the interview and what it is they’re looking for when they ask the tough questions. Introduction
- 3. Anyone who’s ever been on a first date knows how awkward conversations with strangers can be. But despite the discomfort, if both parties see something worth pursuing, that first date will probably lead to a second, third, or fourth before it gets serious, and then there will be countless more dates before a couple decides to make the ultimate commitment. Okay, so the analogy isn’t perfect. Obviously accepting a job offer isn’t quite as permanent as the decision to get married, but it does involve choosing to work with people who – on some days at least – you will spend more waking hours with than you do your spouse. And yet, many times this decision is made after a couple hour-long conversations between a time-pressed manager and an eager candidate who is on their very best behavior. The Problem with Interviews… This doesn’t mean the hiring manager’s goal is to “trip up” a candidate and get them to say something incriminating, but a good interviewer will ask questions designed to reveal a candidate’s character, work ethic, value system, and of course, their proficiency in the skills required by the position. Candidates hoping to impress should know the various techniques an interviewer may use to glean this information, but they should also understand the interviewer’s ultimate goal – to better grasp the candidate’s experience, skills, and attitudes.
- 4. Results on a resume can tell a recruiter or hiring manager something about a candidate’s qualifications, but managers generally rely on the interview to “get to know” the candidate and see if they’ll be a “good fit.” Likewise, candidates use the interview to better understand and evaluate the position, the corporate culture, and the people they’ll be working with. No doubt a lot rests on the interview, and yet, the interview process itself may be flawed. A three-year study by Leadership IQ found that 46% of new hires fail within 18 months of employment and only 19% achieve unequivocal success. Mark Murphy, CEO of Leadership IQ, explains why the interview process is partly to blame: “The typical interview process fixates on ensuring that new hires are technically competent. But coachability, emotional intelligence, motivation and temperament are much more predictive of a new hire’s success or failure. Do technical skills really matter if the employee isn’t open to improving, alienates their coworkers, lacks drive and has the wrong personality for the job?” 46% of new hires fail within 18 months of employment and only 19% achieve unequivocal success.
- 5. HRthought-leader Dr. John Sullivan agrees that the interview process is severely lacking. His manifesto on the 50 most common problems with interviews covers a range of probable issues including an interviewer’s inherent bias, a lack of weighted questions and rating systems, the general difficulty of evaluating for fit, and inconsistencies in the questions asked during the interview, the structure of the interview, and the interviewers’ expectations. Needless to say, the candidate is typically less concerned with “fit” than the hiring manager. Candidates are often so eager to get a job offer that they lose sight of whether or not the job is right for them. Managers on the other hand, must focus on finding someone who can not only do the job – but is also a great fit. This is why skills assessments and resumes alone are not enough to evaluate a candidate for a job. The interview, despite its flaws, remains a necessary part of the process. The instinct to lie in order to make a good impression can also be a problem in interviews. Managers may be tricked by candidates who embellish, but candidates may also be duped if the interviewer or other employees aren’t up front in their answers to questions about how they enjoy their jobs, if they like their manager, or about the manager’s style.
- 6. How Interviewers Prepare for the Interview For example, an outgoing hiring manager may dismiss a shy or soft-spoken candidate as “not right for the job” even though the position may not require an outgoing personality. But by outlining the personal traits important for the position prior to meeting with candidates, the interviewer would be less likely to let irrelevant preferences affect their decision. To aid this process, early in the interview, the candidate may want to come right out and ask which specific characteristics the manager believes are important for the position. While candidates shouldn’t try to change their personality based on what the interviewer says, it may be useful information to keep in mind as they formulate answers. Just as candidates go through extensive interview preparation, employers must also prepare by spending some time defining their ideal candidate’s values, attitudes, and work habits. By doing this, they will have a clearer idea of what qualities to look for during the interview. A typical job description goes into great detail about the qualifications and technical skills required by the position but usually only cites generic terms like “team player,” “go-getter,” and “hard worker” to describe the ideal candidate’s attitude. As a result, the manager has no criteria for evaluating the candidate’s personality, and thus is likely to rely on their own personal preferences to determine “fit.”
- 7. Interview Formats Companies aiming to save time may utilize the group interview, a format in which multiple candidates are invited to “interview” at the same time. The group interview may be largely informational, consisting of a presentation on the company and what the job entails, or it may be more like an audition interview in which candidates are put together and expected to solve a problem or discuss a topic. The hiring manager can then observe how individual candidates respond to a team environment, who naturally falls into a leadership role, who is particularly persuasive, etc. While candidates may feel slighted by the group interview, it can be an effective way for companies to quickly narrow the applicant pool. Most companies, however, give candidates the courtesy of a one-on-one evaluation. Recruiters and hiring managers may use several interview formats during the hiring process – a phone call for the initial screening, followed by a face-to-face interview with the hiring manager, and maybe a panel interview with the potential team. Technology has introduced some additional options such as the video conference call or a Skype interview in which the recruiter or hiring manager can speak to a candidate “face to face” via computer or mobile device. These methods help companies eliminate travel costs in the earlier stages.
- 8. An interviewer’s personal interview style is usually dictated by their management style. That is, a manager who instills fear in employees will likely adopt an intimidating interview style, and a more approachable manager will likely have a friendly interview style. While most often, the interview style develops naturally out of the interviewer’s inherent personality, it can also be a strategic choice used to test a candidate. For example, an interviewer may adopt a more intimidating style during the stress interview, or they may choose to be overly friendly in an attempt to make the candidate so comfortable that they reveal more about themselves than they might have done otherwise. Interviewer Styles Sometimes interviewers adopt a persuasive style in an attempt to “sell” the job to the candidate. A persuasive interview style, like the friendly style, can give the candidate false confidence. Alternatively, a transparent interviewer will be upfront with the candidate about their intentions and expectations for the interview without being overly friendly or intimidating – an approach welcomed by most candidates.
- 9. Traditional Types of Interviews Receiving an invitation to interview is a mini victory in and of itself, but if you want to win the battle for the job, you’ll need to be more prepared than any other candidate. Knowing the prominent interview techniques available can help candidates get ready, but remember, it’s unlikely the interviewer will select one style and use it exclusively. Most interviewers will settle on some combination of the following types of interviews: Traditional Directive Behavioral SOARA/STAR Case/Audition Stress
- 10. Traditional Overview: The Traditional format puts both the interviewer and the job candidate at ease because both parties generally know what to expect. Standard questions such as “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” and “How would a past supervisor describe you?” are almost mandatory. Traditional questions invite the candidate to paint a positive picture of themselves, after which most interviewers will ask follow up questions to dig deeper to find a more balanced truth. Traditional Interview Tips: Because Traditional interview questions are well known, most candidates will be prepared for them. Resist the urge to recite canned answers you think the interviewer wants to hear, and instead provide thoughtful responses with examples that show the interviewer who you are and how you are right for the job. So no, don’t say that your biggest weakness is perfectionism or that you push yourself too hard. Rather, talk about an area or skill that you’ve genuinely struggled with and the steps you’ve taken to overcome the challenge. Sample interview questions: Tell me about yourself. Start with your most recent position and walk me through your resume. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What kind of work do you most enjoy? Describe your ideal supervisor. Do you prefer working with a team or on your own? Why do you want to work here? Do you consider yourself a leader? What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- 11. Directive Overview: The goal of a Directive (also called Structured) interview is to extract similar information from all candidates so that the interviewer can more fairly assess candidates based on the same set of criteria. Questions are prepared beforehand and the interviewer typically takes notes to document the candidate’s answers. The focus is on the candidate’s qualifications and relevant experience rather than personality and cultural fit. Directive Interview Tips: The Directive style allows for more parity between candidates and thus may be favored by corporations with strict guidelines for the hiring process. It may also be used in an initial screening of candidates. The leading style of questioning is designed to elicit specific information from candidates – so be ready to provide it. Prepare by revisiting the specifics of your recent achievements. Get to the point with your answers, but don’t leave out supporting details. Remember, this type of interview is about qualifying your skills and experience, so use your answers to provide evidence that you can do the job. Sample interview questions: What is your quota for the current year? What did you achieve in the previous quarter? How many calls do you make per day in your current/most recent position? How many people do you manage? Do you have experience with Salesforce CRM? Have you worked with an iPad as a sales tool? How many years have you been calling on C-level hospital executives?
- 12. Behavioral Overview: Based on the idea that past behavior is the best indicator of future performance, the behavioral interview prompts the candidate to recount detailed descriptions of past events and accomplishments related to their career. Behavioral interviewers aim to extract specifics about a candidate’s involvement in and contributions to any relevant achievements listed on their resume. They may also ask about past situations not mentioned on the resume. Behavioral Interview Tips: To prepare for Behavioral interview questions, think back on your recent career and identify several noteworthy accomplishments (and at least one failure) that you may quickly draw upon in your interview. Review sample behavioral interview questions and practice answering them using your preselected examples (you may discover you need to have a few more examples in mind). The interviewer will be looking for your individual contributions so be sure to speak as “I” and not “we,” even if your given example was a team project. Sample interview questions: Describe a time when you were able to build a relationship with an initially hostile prospect or customer. Describe a time when you weren’t able to win over a prospect. What do you think you could have done differently? Tell me about a time you were tasked with defining a strategy for achieving results. What was the outcome? Tell me about a time when management asked you to change your priorities or focus. Describe a time when you were given direction you did not agree with. Describe a situation, with a prospect or with a colleague, where you adapted your communication style to make a connection.
- 13. SOARA / STAR (Situation, Objective, Actions, Results, Aftermath) / (Situation, Task, Action, Result) Overview: An extension of Behavioral interviewing, the SOARA or STAR technique prompts the candidate to recount the specific details of their past involvement in relevant business situations. More than simply asking the candidate to describe a situation, successful execution of the technique will trigger the candidate to share details related to objectives, actions, and results. SOARA/STAR Interview Tips: SOARA or STAR-based interview questions will help candidates draw a more complete picture of how they have conducted themselves in past situations. As with the Behavioral interview, the best way to prepare for the SOARA or STAR interview is to think back on your career and identify notable examples that you can draw upon to answer a variety of questions. Even if the interviewer doesn’t prompt you with the specific SOARA/STAR questions, it’s smart to think through the acronyms as you answer the broader question. Sample interview questions: Describe a challenging situation you faced in your recent sales career. What was your goal during that time? What steps did you take to reach your objective? How did your team/manager/customers react? How did your choice and subsequent action impact your ability to reach quota? Looking back, what would you have done differently? How did that situation inform your thoughts on the sales process?
- 14. Case or Audition Overview: In the Case or Audition interview, the candidate will be asked to demonstrate their skills rather than simply talk about them. The candidate may be presented with a simulated business scenario or “case” about which they are encouraged to ask questions and gather data to fully understand the situation before walking the interviewer through the steps they would take to solve the problem. A brainteaser or riddle may also serve as a “case.” Frequently used by consulting firms, the Case interview technique applied to a sales position might require the candidate to prepare and perform a sales presentation for the interviewer or interviewing team. Case Interview Tips: The key to excelling at the Case interview is to ask enough questions to fully understand the “case” or situation being presented. Presumably, if you know your industry, you’ll be able to talk about the case and hopefully solve it in a way that impresses the interviewer. Check sites like Glassdoor and Café Pharma for clues about what to expect, and then practice your answers for various scenarios. Sample interview questions: How would you recommend a pharmaceutical company go about evaluating the pros and cons of acquiring a given biotech company. (McKinsey case interview example) One of the largest healthcare groups in your territory has instituted a no-see policy. How do you continue to get information to physicians? Sell me a bridge. Prepare a presentation on one of our best selling products. Your nephew is running a lemonade stand over his spring break. After selling only 3 cups on Monday, he asks you for help. What do you recommend? (Reportedly asked by McKinsey)
- 15. Stress Overview: The stress interview involves subjecting a candidate to an uncomfortable situation and evaluating how they handle it. The interviewer may create the stressful circumstance by making the candidate wait an hour or more for the interview to begin, by insulting the candidate, allowing long pauses after a candidate’s answer, or tactlessly asking stress-inducing questions about a layoff or an admitted area of weakness. Unconventional questions such as brainteasers and riddles may also be used as part of the stress technique. Stress interview tips: The stress interview is used when the interviewer wants to see how a candidate operates under pressure, so never let them see you sweat. No matter what happens, remain calm and keep your composure. Answer questions honestly and don’t let silence intimidate you. If given a brain teaser, don’t focus on getting the “right” answer, rather walk the interviewer through your thought process and try to convey that you enjoy the challenge. Sample interview questions: Companies hold onto their top performers regardless of economic trends. So, why were you let go? Why didn’t you make your quota in Q2 of 2011? Your numbers aren’t all that impressive. (Silence) On a scale of 1 to 10, how weird are you? (Reportedly asked by Zappos) You are shrunk to the height of a nickel and thrown into a blender. Your mass is reduced so that your density is the same as usual. The blades start moving in 60 seconds. What do you do? (Reportedly asked at Google)
- 16. A good interviewer will dig deep to uncover what kind of employee a candidate might be, however, there are some areas best kept covered. The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) prohibits discrimination against a job candidate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. Alison Green (of Ask A Manager fame) says that questions on these topics are not actually illegal, but making a hiring decision based on the answers to them is. To play it smart, most employers will stay away from any question that may cause a candidate to disclose information related to EEOC prohibited topics. Business Insider says employers should avoid questions like these: Are you married? Do you have children? What country are you from? Is English your first language? Have you ever been arrested? Do you have any outstanding debt? Do you drink alcohol socially? How long have you been in the workforce? Which religious holidays do you observe? Illegal Interview Questions Note that if the question is relevant to a candidate’s ability to do the job, the interviewer may factor the answer into the hiring decision. In the case of hiring a sales rep expected to conduct business in operating rooms, questions related to their ability to be credentialed for hospital access may be relevant. If an interviewer does ask one of these questions, you may try to change the subject or simply decline to answer. Remember though, the questions themselves are not illegal. More than likely, it’s just a sign that you’re dealing with an inexperienced interviewer.
- 17. Some questions to consider asking: “Now, what questions do you have for me?” You shouldn’t be the only one answering questions in the interview. Top candidates will have several questions ready when given the opportunity. This conveys your interest in the job and the company. Even if this is your first interview in months, and you’d jump at any job offer, you want to give the impression you are evaluating the company the same way they are evaluating you. Prepare a list of questions before you go into the interview. Do not ask questions you could have easily found the answer to online. Focus your questions on company culture, management style, and expectations of the new hire. Be careful not to ask a question if you have already learned the answer during the course of the interview. Have enough questions prepared to cover you should this occur. What will you expect from the new hire in the first 30, 60, and 90 days of employment? How are top performers recognized? How would you describe the corporate culture? What is your management style? What would others in this role say is the biggest challenge they face? What will the person you hire need to do to ultimately reflect well on you and your decision to hire them?
- 18. Post Interview Follow Up After the interview, a follow-up “thank you” email is standard practice. Ideally you should send one to each person you meet with, so remember to ask for a business card from each interviewer. The note should thank the interviewer for their time, reference something specific you discussed with them, and briefly remind them of the reasons you believe you’re a good fit for the job and the company. Do not send an email to the hiring manager and CC the others. Nor should you send the exact same email to everyone you spoke with. Keep your message short, but make it personal. Ms. Manager, It was a pleasure meeting with you this morning. I really enjoyed our discussion on ______________. After learning more about the Territory Manager position and ABC Company, I can genuinely say I’m interested in the job. I believe my experience at XYZ Company has well prepared me for the challenges I know I will face at ABC. I hope you will take my consistent record of success as an indicator of how I will perform as a member of your team. I believe my work with_____________, as well as my training in _____________make me a great fit for the job. I sincerely hope you do too. Thank you for your time today. I look forward to our next meeting. Sally Candidate 678-555-9876
- 19. Conclusion The interview is by far the most subjective part of the hiring process and therefore is probably the most complex. There is no one-size-fits-all prescription for acing the interview. You may give all the “right” answers and still not make the necessary connection with the interviewer. Don’t focus on what you can’t control. Instead, spend your energy studying the interview questions and techniques you’ll come up against, keeping in mind that most interviewers will use a combination of interview styles. Perhaps they’ll use Directive or Structured questions during the initial phone-screen interview, then ease into the face-to-face interview with some Traditional questions followed by Behavioral – prompting you to provide specifics through SOARA or STAR-based questions. They may incorporate the Case interview technique, or even use aspects of the Stress interview. The point is – you never know what you’re going to get, so it’s best to prepare for everything. Remember though, the interview is more than just a competition held by the hiring company to find who has the most relevant experience. It’s a genuine fact-finding mission to discover who will mesh well with the team, who will be happiest in the job, and yes, who will be most successful in the role. So perhaps the best approach is to treat the interview like a first date – of course you want to make a good impression, but you also want to make sure your date is someone you’d like to spend more time with. As much as you may need a job, the interview process is your opportunity to make sure this is the right job for you.
- 20. For more career resources visit MedReps.com. Good luck and happy job hunting!