The closing move that turns every interview into a two-way conversation
Real-time feedback: My closing move in every interview
After interviewing over a thousand people, I've found that ending with direct, capability-focused feedback transforms the interview from a one-way judgment into a two-way exchange. It lets candidates correct misunderstandings and gives me better information for hiring decisions. Most are grateful; the rare negative reactions come when feedback targets personality rather than skills.
Interview candidates are so starved of feedback that giving them feedback right there in the interview is usually a positive experience for them.
- mellosouls
So, regardless of what else you ask in the interview, this question makes the interview two-way instead of one-way
No it doesn't - there's nothing in the article about asking for feedback in return. The only reference to somebody actually doing that is extremely negative.
If the author reads this, they may be well-motivated but should consider quite seriously that they are not understanding "two-way" as they intend.
- golly_ned
> “ You seemed quite nervous”
This kind of thing is weird to call out. Your perception of a candidate’s emotions isn’t relevant. People are wired differently. Some people can bullshit with no nervousness at all. Some people can be highly skilled and not able to practice this away. It’s a matter of wiring.
Calling out actions and behaviors and words, observable reality, is fine. Emotions, no.
- solidasparagus
> Even for candidates for whom my feedback was scathing, they are still generally positive about the experience
If you have scathing feedback for someone you are interviewing, you should probably just shut up. Or at least deliver it in a different context where they aren't being held hostage and having their every reaction scrutinized. Sounds miserable, I seriously doubt they were actually "generally positive"
- pkteison
I’ve conducted several hundred interviews, and I no longer invite argument in them. The stress, knowing they are being judged, the stakes involved with a large paycheck on the line is just not a good environment to antagonize someone in. I’m not going to put my interviewers in that situation, or myself.
And if the value is correcting misunderstandings, I don’t see it. The very fact that the communication failed and there was a misunderstanding is a huge no hire red flag. Communicating clearly matters as much as doing the job
- alastairr
I was hoping before opening the article this might be feedback from candidate --> interviewer. Quite a few interviews I've been the candidate have been negative experiences that put me off the job entirely. I think it's often forgotten that interviews are (or should be) two-way exchanges, not just a hazing of would-be employees.