If Your Interviewer Won't Stop Talking, You're Gold...

At a Starbucks today on the road.  Listening to a manager interview a barista candidate.

The candidate hasn't had to say a word in 20 minutes.  No joke.

Love Starbucks.  Good people.  Word of advice to all the candidates out there:

If your interviewer won't stop talking, you are gold.  Let them talk.

I know, it runs counter to what you think.  You think you need to get your talking points in.  The bottom line?  If the interviewer talks 90% of the time and you spend 10% of the time concurring, you're going to be a finalist.  That interviewer is going to go off his gut after the interview and say, "That felt great.  I really like her."

Of course you felt like it really went great, Bob.  You got to listen to yourself for 45 minutes.  Nice.  You are so money.  Ballers ball, after all.

So if you want the job, let them talk.  If you want to determine whether you're a fit for the job?  That's a whole other post.

I wish I could take video of this - but I can't do that to my guy...

Good luck out there candidates.  It's a jungle for sure.

Comments

[Karen K]

This works for sales calls and dating too.

[julia briggs]

Hmm. Sometimes the interviewer will then come back and say - 'well, they weren't very enthusiastic'. There is nothing you can do, but don't assume if they don't stop talking you will get the job. Sometimes it's a defence reaction and they don't want to ask any questions as they have already decided NO.

[Eric Barrett]

If the interview isn't structured, I always look for the fastest way to talk about something we share in common, whether it's sports, raising kids, college, or mutual friends. Not only does an interviewer get to talk, but they get to talk about things you both like - instant "similar to me" bias.

[Jocelyn Aucoin]

You are a strange bird, Elmo. A strange bird indeed. ;)

[Jocelyn Aucoin]

Seriously though, I could not think of a better scenario as a candidate. Dreamy.

[Myron C]

Very good point, in general people enjoy talking about themselves. One of the keys to being successful in anything you do is by being a good listener.

[Redondomolly]

As one comment said, "this goes for dating as well as interviewing."

[Kelly]

Agree with Julia, this isn't always a positive. If the interviewer does all the talking, you don't get a chance to sell yourself and let them know how great you are! So after the interview they might realise, what can this candidate actually offer me? It can be detrimental to a job offer too!

[Rishah Collier]

This starts out you,re gold if your interviewer won't stop talking, and ends up with it can be detrimentalto a job offer. While both scenarios are true, and anyone over the age of twenty should know this, should there be a few hints as to what to do in situations of this magnitude or perhaps elaborate on the things we definitely don't want to do. At least ask a question to get a feel of where the interviewer is going.

[meryl ratzman]

I completely disagree. Why would you want to take a job where the interviewer is talking the entire time? What people often forget is that the candidate is also interviewing the hiring manager and their organization to see if it's a fit for them and meets their needs. Doesn't sound like the hiring manager is really all that interested in the person's background.

[Louise]

no no no no no. As an experienced recruiter, think that this might be the case for a junior level job, but not for any job above entry level. Many times, if the interviewer stops asking you questions, it means that they have already written the candidate off, and they are just trying to fill the time before letting the candidate go. A good interview is a conversation, not a monologue from either party.

[Jeff]

In most situations in life you will be better served by listening more and talking less.

[Marion]

I've had many interviews like that - where I hardly spoke at all, and the interviewer cited it as a very successful discussion. I'm in an executive position. Strange but true.

[Khairani]

I would say this is not a structured interview. Perhaps it doesn't really need to be structured for baristas or equivalent to it. If this situation occur for executive level of post, the organization will face difficulties to get the right person for the right post - my piece.

[Talenthawk]

An interview is really an exchange,for very junior positions,the recruiter may have to actually sell his company to a potential talent.For senior positons it's a Tennis match with the onus on the candidate to serve an ace!