Is It Better to Be The First or Last Person Interviewed?
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
Another coach posed this question and answered it. These are my comments. Don’t jump off at my first remarks. The second is just as important.
00:00 Intro
00:31 Someone else’s answer
01:17 The first part of my answer
02:28 The second part of my answer
03:40 Outro
The #1 Lie Employers and Recruiters Tell
Is it better to be among the first interviewed or the last? I’m Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter. People hire me for no BS, job search advice, and career coaching globally, because I make the process of finding work, and a bunch of other things, much easier for people.
Another coach, I know posted this scenario: “When interviewing, is it better to be among those interviewed first or last?”
His answer was to say “It depends. A good political answer, right? Those interviewed at the beginning of the process set the standard. Those interviewed late are more recent and memorable. It also depends on how many people are lined up to be interviewed. While psychologists study this topic, my opinion is that a candidate that really stands out will brand or separate him or herself from the others. And then the order in which the interviews occurred is a moot point. Very seldom does a candidate have the luxury option of selecting a spot in the process. But one thing is certain– if you wow the decision maker, the job offer will come your way.”
Now, I responded to this, as I tend to do in a textured way. Were it that easy! After all, yes, you set the benchmark if you interviewed first. However, they’re thinking about the job may change after three interviews and you don’t know. if your interviewing last, yes, you can be fresh in the mind. However, they may have already decided on someone and yours is an example of they’re being polite and you’re swimming upstream.
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When I worked in search, now, as a coach, I told people, you’re focusing on the wrong thing. First or last is a distraction. Best is the focus. The statistical probability is that it will not be the first or the last. It will be the person in the middle somewhere. How do you demonstrate you’re the best? That starts with finding out their current thinking about the job at the beginning of the interview, and not at the end. From there, everything is to deliver the feeling that they can trust you.
Now, someone thought what I had said was terrific. And I added on to it and said, “Can you imagine an unqualified person who interviewed first or last being hired? Of course not. One of the things people miss doing this is when they follow up, they don’t ask whether the thinking about the position has changed since they were in and thus give themselves a chance to have a brief re-interview geared toward the new thinking.
For those of you who think interviewing first is the best way to go, that’s something you have to remember to do a few days later. Just to check in with them. I’m not trying to push you into into choosing me, although if he did, I wouldn’t mind. I just want to see if your thinking about the role has changed. If there are any new developments related to what your desires in a background are, so that, this way, I have an opportunity to address them.
And this gives you a chance to have a brief re-interview or perhaps be invited back for a more inclusive interview for the new thinking about the job. Don’t forget to do that. It will make a world of difference.
Hope you found this helpful. I’m Jeff Altman. My website is TheBigGameHunter.us Go to the blog. There’s a ton there that will help you. Thousands of posts that you can watch, listen to, or read. At the site, you can also schedule time for Trusted Advisor Services where I answer your questions. You can schedule time for coaching so I can help you. And at the site, you can also find out about my video courses, books, and guides. They’re all very reasonably priced and you can rent or buy them. Lastly, connect with me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/TheBigGameHunter Have a terrific day and be great!
It’s Not Always What You Know But Who You Know
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS Career Advice globally because he makes many things in peoples’ careers easier. Those things can involve job search,
hiring more effectively, managing and leading better, career transition, as well as advice about resolving workplace issues.
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