This interview series is going to be a ‘mini series’ (I hope). Because, I’ve been to a total of six* job interviews in my life that I can remember, and I only want to write about the most recent three.
I have a take on [full-time] employment and employers. I feel like a good amount of employers view employment (or the hope of it) as a tool to entrap, enslave, oppress, and suppress job seekers. This is in addition to the continued perpetuation of corporate stereotypes that seriously could be done without these days.
Unfortunately, for various reasons, a lot of job seekers remain in a mental – as well as an economic – place that causes them to accept these as normal.
The grouse here is not the average corporate structure or its processes. I have zero issues with either. My grouse is that, in general, people sometimes – regardless of your status – forget that they are dealing with human beings like themselves first before they are applicants or employees. Or, perhaps they pretend to, or they have to act as though they forget.
The reason for this season of the interview series
My grouse is with employers who have a superiority mindset and are actually apathetic or disconnected from the people they’re dealing with. They seem to be looking for servants, not workers, and just might be averse to an acceptable level of progressiveness.
With job interviews, for starters. That’s where it begins, no? They can be unnecessarily stiff, condescending, and just a bit over the top, sometimes.
I might be in desperate need of a job. But, at the end of the day, I am also bringing a service that you must also desperately seek to your establishment. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have a vacancy.
Thus, for example, I expect to be treated as a person; with the highest levels of courtesy. If it is in your nature to be condescending, rude, nonchalant, or unnecessarily authoritative, I refuse to be subjected to that because I might become your employee.
Also, just because I walk into your office for a job interview does not mean the ball is entirely in your court. Or should I say this shouldn’t be the mindset? You may have your aptitude tests, oral examinations, and practicals, but there are other different ways to really discover who your next potential employee is. In addition to the value that they have to offer and could bring to grow your business.
In return, said potential employee should also feel confident they might be working in a place for people that truly care about their value, at least essentially. This is in addition to caring about them.
Having said all this (I did not intend for such a long introduction, I promise), I present to you, my LinkedIn Interview Series. They are based on observations from three interesting job interviews I recently experienced after I quit my last job in pursuit of a more fulfilling career.
Stay with me.
*I had the sixth job interview while this article was being edited.
*This article was originally published on LinkedIn as part of my LinkedIn Interview Series.
