What is Interviewing?

If you’re doing it right, interviewing should be YOU checking to see if a company and their opportunity are right for YOUR CAREER. That’s right, you’re interviewing the company just as much, if not more, than they are interviewing YOU!

Why isn’t it always like this? It is for some of you, but why isn’t it for the majority of you? It isn’t like this for the majority of you because you wait to long. You wait until you have to have it! If you’re waiting too long, then you don’t have the luxury to interview a company you’re just trying your hardest not to screw it up in the interview! You need it and guess what? It shows.

That’s why I have said many times – interviewing is like dating – and if you’re dating and your date senses you need it? It’s over. You look desperate. It shows. Believe me, as someone that has been in the professional recruiting business for almost twenty years, the games of dating are very similar to the games of interviewing.

Interviewing is meeting. Interviewing is dating. Interviewing is making a presentation. Interviewing is professional speaking. Interviewing is runway modeling. Interviewing is political. Interviewing is acting. Interviewing is everything and anything but what really matters. It’s true.

In my years of experience I wish it wasn’t true, but it is. Your qualifications only go so far. Companies today care more about the sizzle than the steak. That’s why they make so many mistakes in the hiring process. Most companies have absolutely no idea what they’re doing when it comes to hiring. Again, I wish it wasn’t true, but it is. That’s why my firm, The Palumbo Company, is in business. To help companies attract and secure top talent.

So, what is interviewing? Or better yet, what should interviewing be to you? Interviewing should be YOU checking out the company and evaluating their opportunity to see if it’s right for YOU. That’s it. Yes, of course, the company will be asking you a lot of questions and they will want to know what you can do for them, but I want you to ask a lot of questions and interviewing THEM! Not as much, harder! I want you to interview them harder then they’re interviewing YOU!

You cannot do this if you need it. You have to understand change around you and recognize it when you see it. Don’t wait until it’s too late and you’re out-of-work. The best time to explore another opportunity is when you don’t need it. You will make a better decision. You will be more apt to ask a lot of questions when you’re interviewing. YOU will be in control, not the other way around.

That’s interviewing to me! When YOU are in control of your future. When YOU put the company on the spot and ask a lot of uncomfortable questions about them. When YOU start asking companies for references! When YOU start performing background checks on companies. That’s interviewing to me! When YOU are in control! Now, take control and go get what you want! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Mike Palumbo

Business owner, executive recruiter, author, radio talk show host, blogger, motivational speaker and career consultant! My goal is to help you find that dream career you’ve always wanted!

Tags: Interview Preparations, Interview Tips, Research Opportunities