What mistakes do candidates make?  Here are 3 common ones:

• Not getting to the point when answering a question.  Iif you’re asked what time it is, don’t tell the person how to build a clock.
• Not knowing one’s own “flat spots”.  When asked about ”developmental areas” — no one says weaknesses anymore, of course — don’t say “Oh, I’m a workaholic.” Interviewers want a candidate to be mature and self-aware enough to know his or her own weaknesses, and ideally, demonstrate how s/he has learned to address and compensate for these traits.
• “Hygiene” issues: establishing eye contact, having a firm handshake, doing research about the company beforehand so you can ask cogent questions, and following up

How important is cultural fit?

• Very.  It is important to know what kind of corporate culture you thrive in: hierarchical or collaborative? fast-paced or more laid back? lots of ambiguity and change, or more static and risk-averse?

 

What about the practice of extended multiple interviews?

• It works best when interviewers are each assigned to explore a particular aspect of the candidate (e.g. technical skills, cultural fit), and respectful of the candidate’s time (schedule the interviews on a single day, with perhaps a half-day of follow-up, rather than asking the candidate to come for one or two hours multiple times).

How important is a recruiter or interviewer’s ”gut feeling”? 

• Quite important, if the interviewer has a broad base of experience, a good “gut” and is vigilant about “testing” for personal bias, pro or con (i.e. physical or behavioral resemblance to another person the interviewer knows).

Is it better to be an early or late candidate in the process? 

• Usually you don’t want to be the first, if you can avoid it, as the company may not yet have realistic expectations.  If they are working with a search firm, feedback on each candidate can guide the search firm in selecting additional candidates to send, and valuable tips can be shared with these later candidates.

Is age discrimination a reality? 

• Sadly, yes.  The best defense is to exude energy, passion, quickness of step and thought, to counter bias that may be innate even if not overtly expressed. (And leaving early positions off your resume doesn’t help, though you can consider grouping your first positions in a paragraph called “early career.”)

Is there a lot of resume fraud?

• Yes. Good search firms conduct both degree and credential checks on all candidates, and discreetly check both official and unofficial references throughout the search process.

How should I follow up an interview?

• Promptly send a thank you email to each person you met with, uniquely tailored with some detail they shared with you to show that you were listening. If you are interviewing directly with the hiring company, it’s OK to follow up in a week if you haven’t heard from them by then.

Susan Chadick is Co-CEO of Chadick Ellig, Inc., a premier boutique retained search firm in NYC.  After holding varied staffing and sourcing roles at American Express for 8 years, starting on the technical side (finance, marketing, IT) and ultimately staffing executive-level positions in the US and overseas, Susan was recruited in 1986 by the search firm Gould & McCoy, now Chadick Ellig.