Don't make an interview just about the past

Just before the holidays I wrote about a post about my adventures in interviewing. A recent article I read made me realize there is more I want to say about the process. In the January/February 2010 issue of Money magazine there is an article called “The Secret to Acing the Interview” by Cindy Goodman. The article discusses how a candidate should perfect their “elevator pitch.” While it is interesting and probably useful information, I fear that it is also very clichéd as is a great deal of the interviewing advice that is out there. I have seen countless pieces written on the “elevator pitch” but I really don’t want to pick on just one aspect of interview advice articles. Actually, to prove my point I go back to the post I wrote about a horrible interview experience where I had to share the reception area with another candidate who arrived to interview for the same position. There was a hidden epiphany in that moment that I am only now realizing its importance.

In that situation, I watched as the other candidate arrived the standard 15 minutes early, asked to use the ladies room and after tried to make impressive small talk with the receptionist – including asking about awards on the wall and how nice everyone seemed. Wait a minute – that sounds familiar?!? Horrified I realized I had done many of those same things! Of course, I was so disgusted with the company at that moment that I pushed the horrified feelings aside. Looking back now, just as my actions were based on the plethora of interview advice articles, it is clear that her actions were too.

The realization that many of us are reading the same articles makes me really want to stand out in a genuine way. I want to show my business acumen and not only that – I want to prove how it can be of value to the very best of companies. I really feel this is important for all of us to remember. In perfecting your “elevator pitch” or showcasing the very best of your past, I think the most important component is missing. An interview should not be so myopically focused on the past or on the candidates themselves. To be successful, the interview process should paint the picture of how integral the candidate can become to the company’s future. This takes research on the candidate’s part. He/she needs to look deep into a company’s website, to go on Linkedin and to use any way possible find everything out that can be found out in the formulation of a plan for the future. Of course it may not be a complete picture but it has to be an honest and realistic picture. This will help candidates to truly make the most of valuable time in front of an interviewer. It is a practice that I have used in the past. I don’t go into an interview without conducting as much research as possible on the company and often I will bring a printed PowerPoint presentation with me as a leave behind. This presentation paints the picture of how I can fit into the company’s business model and it is why I know I am a strong candidate who is waiting for an equally strong company.

To be fair, I don’t want to leave the companies out of this either. They shouldn’t become so wrapped up in a candidate’s credentials, GPA, resume buzzwords or other tricks. Don’t hire a candidate based on what is on paper but rather than what they really can bring to the table. Look for the ones that display business acumen in their approach to your time together and their plans from the future. To do so will help you stockpile your talent to ensure that your company and your employees can achieve the successes they so richly deserve.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”