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Enemy at the Gates
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tions about the candidate’s background, experience, expertise, and
education. The typical start of this line of questioning is to solicit an
explanation of the candidate’s career moves, sometimes in chronological
order and sometimes in reverse order.
Once this introductory material is reviewed, the interviewer proceeds
to ask detailed questions on specific aspects of the applicant’s
background that seem to be relevant to the open position. As with any
good line of questioning, there are three levels of responses that the
trained interviewer is listening for: the overt answer to the question, the
impression the candidate is making on the interviewer, and the underlying
competencies, motivations, and values the overt answers reflect.
Overt answers address concerns about facts like:
• What did the candidate really do in this job?
• What role did he or she play, supportive or leading?
• How much influence did the candidate exert on the outcomes
of projects?
• How did the candidate handle problems that came up?
Impressions include:
• How does this candidate come across?
• How serious is the candidate about his or her career and
this job?
• Is he or she likable?
• Is he or she bright?
• Did the candidate prepare for this interview?
• Is the candidate being forthright with information?
Underlying competency information gleaned by a good interviewer
includes answers to concerns such as:
• Does this person communicate well in a somewhat stressful
face-to-face conversation? Does the candidate stay focused
on the question asked or ramble along?