Job interviews suk
[photo removed by request of Sarah Blow. Ostensibly, some corporations she deals with had their feathers in a bunch when seeing this cartoon...!. Please note: Attribution was made...as per the CC license of the photo. See discussion on legality. Now, from our discussions with Ben, a Brit, we know that 'bizness' is a wee more uptight in London...but didn't they read my post and realize the irony of their angst?]
Seth has an awesome post about ending the horrific job interview as we know it...really, he is right...nobody wins in that process...
I look at how I have gotten all of my jobs over the years:
1. Interview (ended up hating the position...not being at all what I expected)
2. Reference of a friend who I worked with as a third party contractor. Hired after having dinner the three of us...loved working for the guy...
3. Self-employed...found all of my clients through WOM
4. A client hired me...had been working with them for 3 months on a project
5. Hired sight unseen via a reference of someone who read my blog
6. Self-employed again...all our clients have approached us because they read our blogs
In the meantime, I've interviewed probably 150 times. I've only been offered 5 positions out of the lot. For a couple of the positions I wasn't offered, I kept track and watched them go through several people. I'd run into my interviewers at various events (technology marketing is a small world) and they would lament that they hired wrong over and over. Secretly, I felt smug, but was relieved I didn't get an offer.
I'm the world's worst interviewee. I get nervous. I say the wrong things. I try to be totally honest. I tell people my actual worst traits (distracted, defies authority, stubborn, opinionated, easily bored, etc.). I won't give lines about where I'll be in 5 years. I won't tell you what I'd do with your company to improve processes. I won't promise the sky.
Heh. But you know what? I have always 'increased the bottom line' and been a loyal employee. When I worked in advertising, many of my clients said they would follow me to the ends of the earth. I don't steal stationary. I take my work home with me. I believe anything is possible. I'm always curious and learning. I push boundaries. I imagine big. I finish assignments, then some. I go beyond the call of duty. I'm not a 'leader', I'm a guide - I empower teammates. I collaborate. I've decreased spending and increased the bottom line. I've quadrupled traffic. I've achieved goals ++. I will never 'guarantee' anything, because I'm not about bull.
I tend to like unruly people. They go against the tide. They challenge the system. Yes, they are disruptive, but disruption is usually what was needed. I abhor complacency and status quo. I know that 'conventional wisdom' was never meant to be a positive term. If someone challenges me or tells me I'm full of crap, I like them even more than I did before. [the exception to all of this is selfish, arrogant people, who aren't unruly, they are just arrogant and selfish]
I'm just guessing, but I think most unruly people are not good interviewees and get most of their jobs the way I've gotten most of mine: through their references...their actual work...the way they prove themselves by doing and not just saying.
So...what could be other ways of finding right candidates that go beyond job boards and interviews and stodgy, boring, old fashioned resumes? What about those people who are more reserved, but are amazing at what they do? What ways will work for everyone?
Seth has an awesome post about ending the horrific job interview as we know it...really, he is right...nobody wins in that process...
I look at how I have gotten all of my jobs over the years:
1. Interview (ended up hating the position...not being at all what I expected)
2. Reference of a friend who I worked with as a third party contractor. Hired after having dinner the three of us...loved working for the guy...
3. Self-employed...found all of my clients through WOM
4. A client hired me...had been working with them for 3 months on a project
5. Hired sight unseen via a reference of someone who read my blog
6. Self-employed again...all our clients have approached us because they read our blogs
In the meantime, I've interviewed probably 150 times. I've only been offered 5 positions out of the lot. For a couple of the positions I wasn't offered, I kept track and watched them go through several people. I'd run into my interviewers at various events (technology marketing is a small world) and they would lament that they hired wrong over and over. Secretly, I felt smug, but was relieved I didn't get an offer.
I'm the world's worst interviewee. I get nervous. I say the wrong things. I try to be totally honest. I tell people my actual worst traits (distracted, defies authority, stubborn, opinionated, easily bored, etc.). I won't give lines about where I'll be in 5 years. I won't tell you what I'd do with your company to improve processes. I won't promise the sky.
Heh. But you know what? I have always 'increased the bottom line' and been a loyal employee. When I worked in advertising, many of my clients said they would follow me to the ends of the earth. I don't steal stationary. I take my work home with me. I believe anything is possible. I'm always curious and learning. I push boundaries. I imagine big. I finish assignments, then some. I go beyond the call of duty. I'm not a 'leader', I'm a guide - I empower teammates. I collaborate. I've decreased spending and increased the bottom line. I've quadrupled traffic. I've achieved goals ++. I will never 'guarantee' anything, because I'm not about bull.
I tend to like unruly people. They go against the tide. They challenge the system. Yes, they are disruptive, but disruption is usually what was needed. I abhor complacency and status quo. I know that 'conventional wisdom' was never meant to be a positive term. If someone challenges me or tells me I'm full of crap, I like them even more than I did before. [the exception to all of this is selfish, arrogant people, who aren't unruly, they are just arrogant and selfish]
I'm just guessing, but I think most unruly people are not good interviewees and get most of their jobs the way I've gotten most of mine: through their references...their actual work...the way they prove themselves by doing and not just saying.
So...what could be other ways of finding right candidates that go beyond job boards and interviews and stodgy, boring, old fashioned resumes? What about those people who are more reserved, but are amazing at what they do? What ways will work for everyone?
11 Comments:
Now is this post of yours can be processed by a hResume parser.
Ah...yes...absolutely.
We're working on OpenBC right now...personally, my resume is so bloody old...having not had to apply for a job in years...LOL...but I do keep it up at OpenBC and LinkedIN.
the only thing left for anyone to say..."i want you on my team!"
Beautiful post... Loved "abhor complacency and status quo".
You've hit on something critical. Job interviews tend to weed out anyone who's likely to make waves or do more than simply what is expected or stated in the job description. I think the more cookie-cutter you appear in an interview, the better your chances of getting hired. The hiring manager doesn't want to suffer the embarrassment of hiring someone who doesn't naturally fit in with the "culture." So imho traditional interviews work best when you're hiring for a safe, status quo type of position. For other roles, you're better off proving your worth through other means (referrals, WOM, past projects, portfolios, case studies...real work).
Once again, thanks for writing the right thing at the right time. I am sorting through job descritions trying to figure out if they vaguely resemble what I'd like to do all day and dreading trying to persuade someone the same. 5 to 150? I guess I have to get cracking! I've gotten to second round on two positions no offers yet.
So right on, as usual. If I have to go on an interview I'm reading this ten times first, just to remind me to stay true to myself and not mimic what I think they want. Especially since what they want is so rarely what they actually need.
Yes we all know job interviews suk, but why did you have to use that picture?...Are you deliberately trying to undermine the role of women in technology, or is it as I suspect, a bitchy attempt to score points of another well know female technology blogger?
@Kim
Undermine the role of women? Bitchy attempt at scoring points? You know...it was EXTREMELY difficult to find creative commons licensed photos of people doing interviews. I wanted one woman and one man. Sarah just happened to be the ONE WOMAN I could find, dressed up for an interview and being interviewed.
I don't know who you are, but you have obviously not read my last couple of weeks posts...like the ones where I've railed against the lack of women on speakers lists at conferences and the like. You may want to check the archives.
Don't assume anything.
Agreed you did stick to the CC licensing agreement. No questions about it and you were never accused of doing anything wrong.
I just requested removal of it as it was causing a few issues upon high.
BTW you and I seem to have something in common. ;)
Comic Con Trousers 2006!
By the sound of things you should have gone along... you would have had fun.
Interviews are so wrong because its like trying to prove that you are not guilty and the reason you left your last job was not some crap you need to make up to look good but your idiotic erratic and insecure boss.
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