What are the "Unwritten Rules" to Interview Success at Your Company? Share Them.
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Have you ever paid attention to the phrase, “best selling author?” Notice that the phrase is not “best writing author” or “best expert author,” it is best selling author. It insinuates that the onus to your success as an author is in your ability to sell the most books, rather than your ability to be a great writer.
Don’t get me wrong—your ability to sell tons of books hinges on at least decent writing skills. But the point here is that there are two separate factors at play for an author on the journey to this coveted accolade of best-selling author: (1) there’s the ability to write AND (2) there’s the ability to sell.
On this journey to forging career success between employers and job seekers, I’ve been able to confirm time and time again that while on the job search, there are also two separate factors at play on the journey to getting hired: (1) there’s the ability to do the job (i.e., meet qualifications) AND (2) there’s the ability to interview well.
Group A: There are candidates that interview well AND can do the work.
Group B: There are candidates who do NOT interview well, and CAN do the work.
Group C: There are candidates who interview well but CANNOT do the work.
Interviewing well does not always have something to do with whether a candidate cannot answer questions and/or cannot move beyond their own nervousness, for example. Interviewing well in the context of diversity recruiting may also mean that certain groups of candidates have been unable to navigate an organization’s bias-filled interview professionalism standards. According to an article in Stanford Social Innovation Review, "the story unfolds many ways: in White and Western standards of dress and hairstyle (straightened hair, suits but not saris, and burqa and beard bans in some countries); in speech, accent, word choice, and communication (never show emotion, must sound “American,” and must speak White standard English); in scrutiny (Black employees are monitored more closely and face more penalties as a result); and in attitudes toward timeliness and work style."
Image Credit: CartoonStock.com
These bias-filled interview standards may suggest that competitive candidates show up to interviews with a certain look, have a certain presence, engage in dialogue in a certain way, and answer questions in a specific manner. When a candidate falls outside of these standards, it becomes irrelevant to the interviewer whether the candidate can do the job. They will get rejected.
Let me say this in a different way.
"When it becomes more important how well a candidate presents (i.e., sells) themselves during an interview than whether a candidate can do a job, then bias is clouding your judgement and your capability to make an effective selection decision."
Your ability to increase diversity at your organization hinges on the ability to redefine your interview standards. In other words, can you discern a competitive candidate in Group B? Can you separate the message from the messenger?
As a recruiter, if you are able to separate the message from the messenger, you are already ahead of the curve. Discerning a qualified candidate in Group B and providing your company specific interview playbook moves a candidate from Group B into Group A prior to an interview with the hiring manager. This playbook can be as simple as interview pointers to interview successfully at your company or can be more involved like how Amazon prepares their candidates.
What are the unwritten rules for interview success at your company?
Is it mandatory to show up 15 minutes early to an interview?
Do you need to wear a three piece suit or a skirt below the knees?
Do you need to wear specific colors?
Do you need to talk about specific topics that the hiring manager loves talking about?
Do you need to make eye contact at all times or ever?
Do you need to smile and show external enthusiasm during the interview?
In addition to being qualified, what does it take to land a job at your company? Share the unwritten rules with ALL candidates, especially if you work in an overly homogenous organization. The tools that you create in an effort to support an equitable hiring process with your most vulnerable populations will benefit all populations.
“The tools that you create in an effort to support an equitable hiring process with your most vulnerable populations will benefit all populations.”
Do you know why it is acceptable (and even necessary) to coach individuals from historically underrepresented populations? Two reasons. First, it helps each to better navigate the systematic biases baked into your company’s hiring process (while your organization is behind the scenes learning and implementing strategies to build a more equitable hiring process that mitigates bias). Second, because the access that White (and often male) candidates have to networks also grants them knowledge of the unwritten rules for interviewing success. Your ability to coach qualified candidates to the unwritten rules to interviewing at your company creates equity—or a level playing field.
Here are three things that you can do today to level the playing field in your interviewing process:
Step #1: Ask and answer two especially important questions to yourself. Questions: In addition to meeting the qualifications (i.e., factor #1), what does it really take to land a job my company? What are the unwritten rules for success?”
Step #2: Create a company approved one-pager to disperse to candidates or create a checklist of talking points for candidates.
Step #3: Share the information with all candidates prior to interviewing with the hiring manager.
Coaching helps qualified candidates to package and sell their skills better to your employer and because you work there, you know your employer. You know their biases, you know their rules, you know what they deem as a great candidate and a mediocre candidate. You can do your role to help qualified candidates navigate the unconscious bias in your hiring process and ultimately land a great job.
And remember, it is the candidate’s decision to not heed or implement the unwritten rules. Some candidates may opt out and instead go into the interview without the playbook. In context to this article, I am indifferent about which path candidates choose. The important part here is that the unwritten rules to interview success at your company offers an equitable and critical path to employment that may not have been forged otherwise.
If you liked this article, you will definitely enjoy this one too: The REAL Threat Candidates Face When Asked To Show Up Authentically While Interviewing
Join the conversation in the comments. What are your thoughts on recruiters coaching candidates through the interview process? Do you agree or disagree and why?
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