The three question job interview

A very close  friend of mine is currently looking for a new position. He and I talk frequently and he shared his most recent interview experience with me. I found his story very interesting and I am sharing his adventures with you as a way to help in your job search. For the sake of this blog, I will call him Bob. Here is Bob's most recent adventure in job hunting:

Recently, Bob got invited in for a job interview at a local company. Bob was very excited because this company was close to home, paid well, and was in a growing industry. Bob spent several hours  preparing for the interview. He researched the company, knew about their history, their leadership, their market, and their products.

 

He even did some research on the person that would be conducting the interview. Through the magic of LinkedIn, he found out how long his interviewer had been at this company, where he went to school, and was able to see a picture of this individual. Bob felt like if he knew some background information about who he would be interviewing with it would make him more comfortable - I agree.

 

The day of the interview, Bob drove himself to his potential new employer. He arrived an hour early, surveyed what was in the local vicinity and parked in the lot and began to ask himself questions. Bob had taken a list of 50 possible interview questions with him. For the next 45 minutes, he asked himself questions, and formulated solid answers. Also, by arriving early, he gave himself time to relax, and NO chance of being late or rushed. (Great strategy Bob!)

 

After several hours of preparation, Bob was dismayed that his interviewer only set aside 30 minutes for the interview. He told Bob at the greeting that in 30 minutes he would need to join a conference call.

The interviewer then proceeded to ask Bob three questions:


-What do you know about us?

-Tell me about yourself?

-How well do you know Excel?

And that was it.

Three questions.

Bob had prepared for so much more!

Bob was disappointed and confused but realized three important things;

1.) The interviewer was most likely just checking to see if Bob could walk and talk. (most phone interviews will take care of that requirement)

2.) This company may be just a bit unorganized and dysfunctional. (Red flag)

3.) This company was not really concerned about the time and efforts of the candidates. (Red Flag)

At the end of the day, Bob would still be interested in a second interview if offered, but his first interview provided a look into a company culture that may not be the best fit for Bob, but more time spent with his potential company may paint a clearer picture.