Have we lost the Art of the Interview?
I know it is not always helpful to look back to a "Golden Era", but only four or five years ago, things seemed clearer for everyone.
If you were looking for a job and invited for an interview, you prepared for it! Part of that preparation was deciding what to wear.
For an office-type job, men would wear a suit, shirt, tie and polished shoes. It was typically a business dress, skirt, blouse, and smart shoes for women.
You got the interview in plenty of time and greeted the interviewer with a smile and a firm handshake. We all knew what was expected, and if you didn’t deliver, it was unlikely you would get the job.
Office dress codes have relaxed, leading to uncertainty for those attending an interview. Then along came Zoom/ Teams interviews. They are different for many reasons:
- You are usually having the interview when you are at home and are, therefore, more relaxed
- You don’t need to get to the interview in advance
- It may not feel as if you need to dress up
We have lost the art of the interview, and it no longer feels like a special occasion. This is bad news.
Recently, I had a candidate go for an interview via Zoom, and the feedback made me cringe. He wore a T-shirt, didn’t look into the camera, and was continuously distracted by things in his room. No surprise that his application did not progress.
If you want to be accepted, coordinating with the employer’s look might go a long way. Researching the employer’s website shows pictures of the Team; they are wearing shirts, some with ties, and all with jackets. These are clues to the company culture and expectations.
Smile and engage as you would if it were a face-to-face meeting.
Give the interview your full attention. If your interview is via video, shut out all distractions – other people, pets, noise, phones, screens, EVERYTHING. You would expect the interviewer to do the same.
Remember the Art of the Interview. An interview is an opportunity to change your life. Invest the time and effort to do it right.
Tony Line is a Recruiter and jobs board owner with twenty years in the industry.
