Why People Don’t Convert at the Final Interview
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
A coach posted a crowdsourcing request on LinkedIn.
“One of my clients reached out yesterday. They’re frustrated.
They’ve gone through the interview process for 10+ opportunities.
Conversations about compensation and start dates have happened.
Then, at the 11th hour, a “perfect candidate” showed up (10+ times!), and the offer didn’t happen.
Recruiters have given my client positive feedback in extensive debriefs. They have not given them any actionable information.
So, let’s be detectives. Think about:
1. Your intuitive response about why offers haven’t happened—what comes to mind?
2. Hiring process steps after the final round of interviews. What could go wrong?
3. What could my client do to avoid this throughout the hiring process?
We would appreciate your ideas and perspectives!”
I responded:
Too experienced and too expensive are the same answer. Working with the assumption that this is a senior professional and not an individual contributor, The disconnect between what leadership and staff thinks is needed is common. It’s why I believe interviews should start by asking about the role and what you can do to help, particularly if they’ve seen a job description. HR people I;ve interviewed laugh when I say job descriptions are 80% accurate. “If we’re lucky” is the common lament. I don’t know your client but too often people focus on demonstrating competence to the exclusion of all the other things people assess for–self-confidence, character, chemistry, charisma, that someone cares, that they can connect with the person, so they can trust them. All soft skills, but pivotal for leadership roles. Lack of IPO experience is valid but they knew that at the time the interview was scheduled. Sometimes a rough edge surfaces early in the process, but there is so much good that the person brings that they keep moving forward until someone speaks up. “We need IPO experience. She’s never taken a company public.”
Your client needs to recognize where rough edges are occurring and address them proactively and not think they’ve gone away. Lastly, depending upon her personality type, she may have trouble reading a room and speaking to her opponents as though no one else is there except them. It’s hard to explain in text form but it requires someone willing to confront an opponent, which in leadership you have to do.
Ⓒ The Big Game Hunter, Inc., Asheville, NC 2023
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. He is hired to provide No BS Career Advice globally. That can involve job search, hiring staff, management, leadership, career transition and advice about resolving workplace issues. Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 2500 episodes.
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