When an interview is a two way dialogue vs a Q&A but hiring manager had different expectations.

Anonymous

March 22,2023 at 9:01PM UTC

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When an interview is a two way dialogue vs a Q&A but hiring manager had different expectations.

I recently had an interview for a senior role. The hiring manager stated she wanted it to be more of a conversation which I liked. We discussed my views, experience and takeaways (the role was a transformation role). I shared specific success factors I learned and showed how that could be applied in the role I was interviewing for. The sentiment during the interview was upbeat, filled with positive comments. However, I was

told a week after that my application was not being moved forward. I thought long and hard about what could have gone wrong. The interviewer did not ask in a STAR manner and although I shared specific examples with the end results (I did not share quantifiable results eg numbers but more qualitative results ), the feedback I got was I was not detailed enough with strategy , execution, and outcome. But in this case the questions posed were very broad and general and often not really posed as questions but more as pondering an and thoughts.. Did I miss something ? Your views would be much appreciated. I wish to learn from this experience.

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AnonymousMarch 22,2023 at 9:50PM UTC
Yea, even though you felt a certain vibe from this type of interview/interviewer, you would have still wanted to provide the full scope the results of your examples. In this type of setting being able to converse in a casual setting still warrants the full a to z results provided. Reflect on this conversation and see where you could have stated the results of your examples. The 'why' is important but you shouldn't forget the 'outcome' of your efforts. This wasn't your next journey. The way you poised this question provides a snapshot of your attentiveness to the detail and understanding that you had a miss in this interview. Be encouraged, the STAR is always a way to shine in any industry. Good luck.
Annetta MosesMarch 23,2023 at 12:02AM UTC
Consider this a lesson learned. When in an interview use the STAR format, give specific examples, and quantify results.
while the tone of a interview may be conversational, the interviewer is evaluating you.
Good luck on your career journey.
Debra SesholtzMarch 23,2023 at 11:30AM UTC
It is hard to always anticipate what someone expects to hear during an interview. If you really feel this is an opportunity you want and are a good fit, you could try reaching out to the hiring manager. Thank then for the opportunity, express your continued interest, and provide STAR examples as to why you feel you are the right fit for the job. If the role is still open, have nothing to lose by following up. Good luck!
AnonymousMarch 23,2023 at 1:53PM UTC
Honestly, they could have already chosen who they wanted to hire. A similar thing happened to me except I got there relatively early but -they posted who the other candidate was in my email and times we could sign up for the interview. Since I go there early I saw who he was and the glow of the interview was totally different from mine.
Dcre1977March 24,2023 at 3:54PM UTC
It could just be they liked someone elses problem solving methods better, or another person had more experience in an area the team has a gap in, or they chose someone with a different experience level. I would not take it personal.
AnonymousMarch 24,2023 at 6:21PM UTC
Try not to spend too much time looking for "the" reason- - As long as you were honest & authentic then you did your best! Go get 'em next time!!
AnonymousMarch 25,2023 at 12:41PM UTC
You can follow-up and thank them for their time then ask if they have any feedback or advice for you in your continued job search.
You might learn something useful or you might not. But it doesn't hurt to ask.
I have actually had a job rejection turn into an offer by asking. While they did give me feedback that was partially valuable the rest told me that I didn't want to work at that company anyways.
So, I used the part that aligned with my values in the next interview and ignored the other part and got the next job I interviewed for.
Obviously that won't be the outcome everytime, but you never know if you will learn something helpful unless you ask.
MandyMarch 25,2023 at 3:06PM UTC
Sounds like they already had someone in mind and the interview was just to check a box. You can’t really do anything to fix that.
AnonymousMarch 25,2023 at 4:57PM UTC
Yes, you missed the opportunity to ask for clarification about what the responses they wanted would focus on. For example if someone asks you tell me about yourself how would you answer? My response would be to ask a clarifying question like : where would you like me to start today and go in reverse or from the start of my career. Do you see how that could have led you down the path of fine tuning their need for responses. Most interviewers are pretty terrible and don't craft questions up front before taking on the conversation. They do gut feel and that often is a path to disaster as you won't know where they are taking you. As a Senior resource I would think about the strategic paths and then how you managed things like budgets, resources, timelines etc. Have some props - spreadsheets (redact what you cannot share or is proprietary) slides or presentations. Elevate what you have done to the highest level. Show the features, the accomplishments and the benefits to the business. And definitely numbers. Whether you are in a revenue producing role or not you should be able to show and know how your work and the work of your team affected COG's or the bottom line. You should always be far more prepared than your interviewer and if you don't have the items above to share prep some using their info as if you were already in the job.