Re: Preparation for a phone screen interview
Maybe. I thought about that.
But, in an interview, don't both sides have an obligation to be honest?
Even though, as John points out, each side may have more basic goals, mutual honesty is probably the best way to build a long-term relation.
(It's also much easier than remembering what version of the truth you've given out. I'm reminded of William Goldman's account of being in the same room while a Hollywood agent talks on the phone. After bouncing between phone lines for a while, the agent asks him worriedly,"What lie am I on?")
However, honesty is not incompatible with diplomacy. It's one thing to ask about the corporate culture, or details about the daily routine, and another whether someone likes working at the company - or whether there are any "challenges," which could sound as though you're asking if anything is wrong with the company.
In fact, one of the reasons why I would think twice about asking such a question is my assumption - perhaps a naive one - that most interviewers would prefer to be honest. If for any reason the interviewer isn't enjoying working that day, or has some ongoing issues, his or her impulse to be honest might come into conflict with the obligation to represent the company. With that conflict comes a feeling of pressure, which may be resolved in some cases by rejecting you. Better to wait for those questions until you've at least made the initial cut, and the interviewer has made some small commitment to you and is less likely to take offense.
Another reason is that tact is valued more highly than bluntness by most people. By being so undiplomatic as to put the interviewer on the spot, you could easily be rejected for not having a personality that would fit into the company.
Meanwhile, far better to avoid this problem by only asking questions that can be answered descriptively. If you're alert, you can tell a lot from the answers anyway - and not just what the interviewer wants you to infer, either. For example, an overly slick answer might actually indicate that the company has something to hide.
All the above, of course, is based on the assumption that you are still interested in the job. If you're starting to have doubts about it, then you have less to lose by putting the interviewer on the spot. But, even then, a little tact pays. High-tech can be a very small world, and the interviewer at one company may turn up at another company a few months later.
--
Bruce Byfield bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com 604.421.7177
http://members.axion.net/~bbyfield
"To purchase a clear and warrantable body of truth, we must forget and part with much we know."
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RE: Preparation for a phone screen interview: From: Sean Brierley
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