How to Handle a Bad Job Interviewer

Job interviewing can be an intimidating experience in and of itself but if you are dealing with an interviewer that isn’t conducting a professional interview it can turn into a nightmare. The thing to remember here is that not every interviewer who performs job interviews knows how to conduct an interview effectively. You will run into some interviewers that have no place speaking to incumbent and will give a poor refection of the company environment. Let us look at the types you may run into while searching for that next position.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Resumes
• Small Pad
• Pen or Pencils
• Patience

1. The Vague Interviewer –
   They will most likely be unfocused, disinterested, and will show up late to your session. Yes, they will definitely be unprepared. What is worse, this interviewer probably has not read your resume and or does not even have a copy of it. On top of all of this, they will also not know what to ask you.
   
   
   How to Handle –
   Smile, take it with a grain of salt and offer this muddled interviewer a copy of your resume. Now take it further and pretend this type of interviewer is a talk show host and you are the next big thing on the silver screen. As you present them with that “extra” copy of your resume that you always carry to interviews just in case says, "Let me tell you some of my career highlights?"
   
   
   You’ve now taken control of this situation in an assertive yet professional manner.
2. The Chatterbox –
   This interviewer likes to hear the sound of their voice. They dominate their interviews and do all the talking. This type is like one of those stereotypical car salesmen from 70s movies.
   
   
   How to Handle –
   If you end-up with this interviewer, remain calm, stay focused and pay careful attention to the words coming out of this blabbermouth because guaranteed they will be spilling pearls of wisdom about the position. It may not seem like it at first but somewhere in their monologue they will be telling you exactly what it is they want from the candidate. Make mental notes about this and include that in your description of why you are the right choice for the position.
   
   Feel secure in knowing that sooner or later the blowhard will eventually run out of things to say, may ask you questions or at the very least take a drink of something to quench their dry-mouth at which point you can say something. Keep on your toes though and be ready for it; the moment will pass quickly and you have to jump in there and go right into how you are a fit for this company.
3. Illegal Eagle Interviewer –
   This is the (or in some cases they are when dealing with panel interviewers). No matter how much is written in HR manuals or brought up in training classes about etiquette and non-discriminatory practices on worksites, you will still get the interviewer who will ask inappropriate and illegal questions.
   
   
   It is illegal to ask about age, marital status, children, childcare arrangements, religious beliefs, gender preference, etc., but employers still do -- or come up with subtle ways to ask. They may try by inquiring about when you graduated from high school/college, or comment about your children and what school they attend (when compared to their own).
   
   
   How to Handle –
   For inappropriate and illegal questions, try your hardest to keep the interview focused on your qualifications for the job. Always bring the conversation back to the job for which you are interviewing.
   
   
   Only address the concerns behind the questions. Do not dwell on the questions themselves. You might say something like, "I have nothing in my personal life that would interfere with doing a great job for your company."

Tips & Warnings

• Each of these interviewers can be overcome with patients and by being prepared. Nevertheless, keep in mind when you run into these types of interviewers, they are people who are not without fault, and they will bring that into the workplace no matter how inappropriate and unprofessional.
• If you are truly interested in working at the company they are representing be aware that theirs will not be the only unprofessional personality there, otherwise they would not still be employed there and the company running the risk of being exposed to the media ad opening itself up for a lawsuit. Remember this little fact when you are tempted to point out the illegality of the questions, or how unprepared they are while conducting your interview. Doing so will likely cancel any brownie points with the interviewer.