In my experience of working in project management recruitment I have come across some amazing behaviour from candidates at all stages of the recruitment process; but the interview stage is by far the stage which has raised a smile (and deep concern for employers). The standard assumptions made for interview are: research, planning and suitable attire – so how can candidates get it so wrong?
There are countless incidents I can recall but some of the more off the wall ones are something I feel need sharing – let’s try to quash the assumption wheel and state the obvious.
One candidate who was being interviewed for a senior project manager position with a well known high end retailer decided to demonstrate his ability to manage multiple tasks by producing a set of juggling balls from his bag and performing a juggling act. Unfortunately the client did not see the funny side and feedback was such that the candidate did not progress through to the next stage.
On another occasion a candidate decided to sway from the traditional corporate style attire of suit etc to add a fashion statement which was a bowler hat – very “city gent”; however, this gave across the wrong impression to the regulatory environment which boasts a largely intellectual workforce who frown upon such statements in the workplace.
Another occasion we had a candidate who on being welcomed into the interview room announced that he could only stay for 40 minutes as he had only had enough change for an hour on the parking meter. Again this displays a poor judgment on the candidates’ side – surely for a project management professional, planning and adapting to situations is key. What kind of impression are you giving if you can’t even manage to bring enough change to park your car – who you feel confident this candidate could manage a PMO?
There are countless other stories I can regale but wanted to share a taster of what we have come across over the years in the vain hope I can stop another poor decision being made at that crucial point in the recruitment process. If in doubt – ask, whether it is the recruitment consultant or even an old boss.
Here are some key standard pointers to consider for interview preparation:
- Preparation – ensure you know exactly where you are going. Check it online with Google maps or similar. If you cannot do a “dummy run” prior to your interview, at least ensure you take a look at street view to be able to see what the building looks like and any key focal points etc to assist you in finding the offices on the day.
- Plan – how will you get there? Car, tube, bus etc. Make sure you ensure there is a car park close by and you have change for the meter. This is where a dummy run can prove to be invaluable, go find where you are going and also try to do at the same time in the day that your interview is arranged for to check traffic (cars or people) on your route. If it’s school end time then it will take longer to get from A to B etc.
- Suitable attire – unless told otherwise make sure you wear a suit, there are very few environments which would not expect this type of clothing at interview stage. Keep fashion statements for another day and ensure you show you mean business – this is a professional meeting after all.
