If Your Interviewer Won't Stop Talking, You're Gold...
May 01, 2012
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.
This works for sales calls and dating too.
Posted by: Karen K | May 01, 2012 at 01:28 PM
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.
Posted by: julia briggs | May 02, 2012 at 12:37 AM
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.
Posted by: Eric Barrett | May 02, 2012 at 09:37 AM
You are a strange bird, Elmo. A strange bird indeed. ;)
Posted by: Jocelyn Aucoin | May 02, 2012 at 04:14 PM
Seriously though, I could not think of a better scenario as a candidate. Dreamy.
Posted by: Jocelyn Aucoin | May 02, 2012 at 04:16 PM
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.
Posted by: Myron C | May 02, 2012 at 04:56 PM
As one comment said, "this goes for dating as well as interviewing."
Posted by: Redondomolly | May 02, 2012 at 09:13 PM
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!
Posted by: Kelly | May 03, 2012 at 05:23 AM
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.
Posted by: Rishah Collier | May 03, 2012 at 07:00 AM
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.
Posted by: meryl ratzman | May 03, 2012 at 10:48 AM
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.
Posted by: Louise | May 03, 2012 at 11:42 AM
In most situations in life you will be better served by listening more and talking less.
Posted by: Jeff | May 03, 2012 at 12:41 PM
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.
Posted by: Marion | May 03, 2012 at 03:25 PM
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.
Posted by: Khairani | May 04, 2012 at 05:12 AM
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!
Posted by: Account Deleted | May 04, 2012 at 05:37 AM
Disagree. I've interviewed hundreds of times. One of the more recent ones was a job that seemed perfect on paper, but during the interview, the hiring manager droned on and on and on and asked really pointed questions. The office environment was extremely cluttered and filthy - there were even grease stains on pictures and on memos on cork boards. The entire interview was more or less one sided when the big boss came in. I hardly got a word in. Then it struck me that this guy was a complete control freak. The other two interviewing personnel were his subordinates and I could tell by their body language that they were intimidated. I realized that wasn't a place I wanted to work. I won't work for a control freak or a person who uses intimidation as tactic. I am retired military with a very good pension, so I am in the position to walk away from most terrible jobs. I won't tolerate disrespect. In the end, they rejected me which was ok.
I was on another interview which actually was a second interview. Two people just kept reading my resume over and over. I got asked two short clarification sentences. Then radio silence after the 2nd interview. I was completed ghosted and emails were not returned. I will never apply to them again. If I take time out to interview even once (this one was twice - even more egregious) then I expect closure. A simple FU - we found someone else in a computer generated email is sufficient.
Posted by: Ted | February 21, 2021 at 02:10 PM