Is there a Grinch stealing your job interview?
As a child we all dreamed about our yearly visit Santa Claus. We waited for weeks envisioning the jolly fat guy with rosy cheeks and a heart-warming belly laugh who would embrace us in loving arms while encouraging our visions of unlimited presents on Christmas morning. Unfortunately there may have been times when you got to the mall, "Santa" was a pale, skinny, grumpy guy with designers glasses and a high pitched squeak of a laugh who had the audacity to limit your number of requested toys!!!
There are times when that dreamed of long-awaited job interview can turn into a visit with skinny, grumpy Santa.
You are ready! Resume', proper interview outfit, pseudo-calmed nerves, confidence ----Check!! You enter the interview room and are greeted with no handshake, no eye contact and a hiring manager that gruffly states, "Have a seat" while their puffed up chest proudly proclaims, "I have the power and I know it!" Really?!
Your aura of confidence starts to deflate as the hiring manager begins to harshly scrutinize your resume' and then compares you to the candidate that came before you!!
Take a deep breath.
You have utilized a professional job interview coach and are prepared for this possibility. You have researched this company and are truly interested in this position so you need to determine your next move. Stay or leave the interview.
It may be enlightening to stay in the game, never allowing the manager power over you. You determine whether you to stay or leave. Keep your power!
The most important thing to remember when dealing with a jerk interviewer is to always protect your integrity and character. Never give the Grinch hiring manager any reason to say anything negative about you. Awful, mean people can be in positions of power or influence. As a manager, they probably have a network of people in the industry. Keep your cool and no matter what they say, bring the conversation back to the posted job, using your branding statement to reinforce to the manager your skills, talents, and abilities.
Now if the hiring manager begins to veer into illegal, unethical or worse yet makes personal attacks on you, put on your armor and say, "That question (or comment) has no bearing on my qualifications for this job which is what I'm here to discuss." If they continue and you feel they have gone too far and you decide to leave, simply say, "I'm not comfortable continuing this interview. " Or "This interview is over." Pick up your things and leave. If egregious enough you may consider reporting that hiring manager to the company's HR department.
When dealing with a crotchety hiring manager you may be wondering if this manager actually represents the company culture and whether you really want to work for this person. Insight into this hiring manager may be to watch how they interact with others. Are they smiling, receptive and personable? Then watch the person’s reactions to the manager. If possible speak with colleagues or team members of this manager tactfully asking about the best parts of the job and the most challenging parts of the job.
If allowed during the interview, ask the manager where their team ranks related to company standards. Their standing in the company may let you whether teamwork is apparent or not. It also may be a clue to how competent or accomplished the manager is. If you are in their personal office, look around the room for plaques or trophies representing accomplishments within the company.
There is a big difference in being a grumpy, toxic ass and having a rather prickly, dry, all-business personality. After all, being a warm, kind and sweet person doesn't necessarily make for the best manager. Hopefully you are not looking for a mother hen or a new BFF. You want a boss who pushes you to grow past what you thought possible, developing your skills to the point that you get THEIR job!
Being a jerk may simply entail the hiring manager repeatedly looking at their phone and reading texts while you are speaking. (Unfortunately this is a horrific habit that society seems to accept nowadays. It is SO rude. Who says their texts are more important then the person who is sitting before them and scheduled for this time slot??????!!!) If you are being ignored while the manager plays with their phone, go with the flow. Stop speaking and remain calm until the focus is brought back to you. Take these moments to consider your answers and remember your interview coaching techniques. As soon as eye contact is reestablished, reassert yourself and continue where you left off. Yes, the hiring manager is in control of the interview but you control your enthusiasm and confidence when once again reengaged.
There may be reasons why the hiring manager is acting out. Some hiring managers simply dislike doing interviews. The interview process is very time consuming and perhaps the manager recognizes he may not be the best at interviewing. It also takes precious time away from being productive with their team. There is no excuse however why they should treat a complete stranger rudely, no matter what may be bothering them. To Santa’s naughty list they go!
You come as you are to the interview and cannot control how the hiring manager may act. All you can do is take the lessons and skills learned from your interview coach, remain positive, and keep the conversation focused on the job at hand. You have to decide for yourself whether or not you can visualize working for the person sitting in front of you.
Crucial to your decision as to whether to take the offered position or not is to consider that hiring managers come and go. They leave for other positions or receive promotions so chances are you won’t have that particular manager forever.
Take solace in the fact that one day you may have that jerky managers job. This will be your opportunity to remember past difficult interviews and vow never to bring the pale, squeaky laughing, skinny Santa to any interview you conduct!