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What HR People Won’t Tell You About the Job Interview

HR pros reveal job interview dos and dont's.

Condensed from Reader's Digest Magazine | April 2011

Human resource pros tell you what to do—and what not to do—when meeting to discuss an employment opportunity.

Plus: What Does Your Office Say About Your Work Style?

1. “It’s amazing when people come in for an interview and say, ‘Can you tell me about your business?’ Seriously, people. There’s an Internet. Look it up.” –HR professional in New York City

2. “A lot of managers don’t want to hire people with young kids, and they use all sorts of tricks to find that out, illegally. One woman kept a picture of two really cute children on her desk even though she didn’t have children [hoping job candidates would ask about them]. Another guy used to walk people out to their car to see whether they had car seats.” –Cynthia Shapiro, former human resources executive and author of Corporate Confidential: 50 Secrets Your Company Doesn’t Want You to Know

3. “Is it harder to get the job if you’re fat? Absolutely. Hiring managers make quick judgments based on stereotypes.  They’re just following George Clooney’s character in Up in the Air, who said ‘I stereotype. It’s faster.’” –Suzanne Lucas, a former HR executive and the Evil HR Lady on bnet.com

4. “I once had a hiring manager who refused to hire someone because the job required her to be on call one weekend a month and she had talked in the interview about how much she goes to church. Another candidate didn’t get hired because the manager was worried that the car he drove wasn’t nice enough.” –HR professional at a midsize firm in North Carolina

5. “Don’t just silence your phone for the interview. Turn it all the way off.” –Sharlyn Lauby, HR consultant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

6. “If you’ve got a weak handshake, I make a note of it.” –HR manager at a medical-equipment sales firm

7. “If you’re a candidate and the hiring manager spends 45 minutes talking about himself, the company or his Harley, let him. He’s going to come out of the interview saying you’re a great candidate.”  –Kris Dunn, chief human resources officer at Atlanta-based Kinetix, who blogs at hrcapitalist.com

Plus:
Surprising Field Where Job Opportunities Abound
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Your Comments

  • Anonymous

    Wow, when did HR become so mean? It seems cruel to deny someone a job if they’re experienced and qualified just because they’ve had to declare bankruptcy. In this economy many people have been forced out of long standing careers and lost everything. Bankruptcy today isn’t necessarily a barometer of an individual’s capability to do the job. And ironically, these are the very people who need a job the most.

  • Anonymous

    Wow, when did HR become so mean? It seems cruel to deny someone a job if they’re experienced and qualified just because they’ve had to declare bankruptcy. In this economy many people have been forced out of long standing careers and lost everything. Bankruptcy today isn’t necessarily a barometer of an individual’s capability to do the job. And ironically, these are the very people who need a job the most.

  • Mercy

    Its a shame that someone will not hire you because of weight; that is probably whats is happening to me. I guess my master’s in business, BA in human resources and 20 years of customer experience dont matter when you are overweight. To employers out there- Extra pounds is not a deterent to make people loose their knowledge and skills!

  • Mcglynn63

    no, but spelling is; ‘lose’ is spelled w/ one ‘o’, you spelt the word as if something is coming loose… 

  • MIssy Mae

    Spelt? 

  • Rackets

     

    I have been employed at the New York State Department of
    Transportation for a decade. I can tell you first hand that it is the most disgusting
    quagmire of homosexual creatures on the face of this earth, most of whom sit
    around doing absolutely nothing but play with each other all day, day in and
    day out. I have known a better class of people in prison. YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING
    SUCKED AWAY!

  • Y85colette

     This is why I work for myself now. Self-employed and loving it! It’s the way to go people!

  • Andy

    Look it up, he’s right spelt is the past tense of “spell” using spelled all the time is silly for anyone who isn’t in elementary school. 

  • Andy

    Look it up, he’s right spelt is the past tense of “spell” using spelled all the time is silly for anyone who isn’t in elementary school. 

  • Andy

    Look it up, he’s right spelt is the past tense of “spell” using spelled all the time is silly for anyone who isn’t in elementary school. 

  • Andy

    Look it up, he’s right spelt is the past tense of “spell” using spelled all the time is silly for anyone who isn’t in elementary school. 

  • Julieweiss22

    Know proper English grammar is and you obviously don’t

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_A7HF5W4J5JTOLRH7E3M7OWUYJE Mnemosyne

    This is absolutely disgusting. To think that HR creeps would deny someone a job based on the car they drive, or how much they weight makes me want to vomit. How can anyone with morals and ethics deny someone the right to provide a life for themselves (or children). This kind of sh*t is exactly what’s wrong with the world. No wonder the economy’s busted and so many people are losing it.

  • Anonymous

    that’s the way it is in a bad economy. at 59 i’ve been thru this cycle crud about 5 times. they just have that many choices.  you have to have a skill these days.  mine is industrial mechanic skills and there are less than 800,000 with master skills.  when i have had to look for a new job HR acts like i must have forgotten a lifetime of skills in 2 months so i am worth less. when things pick up after our most recent Republican economy blitzkrieg we can go back to our pick of jobs. (5 years)

  • Anonymous

    that’s the way it is in a bad economy. at 59 i’ve been thru this cycle crud about 5 times. they just have that many choices.  you have to have a skill these days.  mine is industrial mechanic skills and there are less than 800,000 with master skills.  when i have had to look for a new job HR acts like i must have forgotten a lifetime of skills in 2 months so i am worth less. when things pick up after our most recent Republican economy blitzkrieg we can go back to our pick of jobs. (5 years)

  • Anonymous

    that’s the way it is in a bad economy. at 59 i’ve been thru this cycle crud about 5 times. they just have that many choices.  you have to have a skill these days.  mine is industrial mechanic skills and there are less than 800,000 with master skills.  when i have had to look for a new job HR acts like i must have forgotten a lifetime of skills in 2 months so i am worth less. when things pick up after our most recent Republican economy blitzkrieg we can go back to our pick of jobs. (5 years)

  • Anonymous

    that’s the way it is in a bad economy. at 59 i’ve been thru this cycle crud about 5 times. they just have that many choices.  you have to have a skill these days.  mine is industrial mechanic skills and there are less than 800,000 with master skills.  when i have had to look for a new job HR acts like i must have forgotten a lifetime of skills in 2 months so i am worth less. when things pick up after our most recent Republican economy blitzkrieg we can go back to our pick of jobs. (5 years)

  • Anonymous

    …says the queen of run-on sentences!

  • Anonymous

    I love it when pedants invalidate the opinions of others based on their  grammar. I especially love it when these pedantic fools can’t construct a proper sentence themselves! Run-on sentence, anyone?

  • Anonymous

    I love it when pedants invalidate the opinions of others based on their  grammar. I especially love it when these pedantic fools can’t construct a proper sentence themselves! Run-on sentence, anyone?

  • Anonymous

    Grammar is, too; all three pedantic replies to this post are run-on sentences!

  • http://www.facebook.com/abatoy Artemio Norma Batoy

    knowledge gain!

  • Anon

     #2 : I’ll be sure not to ever take my wife’s 15-passenger van to an interview: we outgrew the Suburban a couple kids ago! :)

    #3 : I work 12-16 hour days, no time for exercise. I’ll be sure to only apply at companies where the hiring manager is overweight.

    #6 : And don’t tell them you have a weak handshake due to carpal tunnel…

    #7 : Too true! Got my current job that way.

  • Monique Drinkley

    It is easier to remember that lose(as in lost) has a “z” sound instead of an “s”.

  • Anonymous

    So you used to be in prison and now you work for the Government? In this Administration that makes perfect sense I guess…

  • Gvanluvanee

    My thoughts about HR trickery ~~~ if a company is going to be playing mindgames with me, i don’t want to be working for them any way.  I am honest and forthright and care about people and i want to work with a company who is that way, also —- a company i can trust.

  • Annette_13

    And you can’t spell either so why you running your mouth!!!!!! Spelt…..lol-some people……

  • Guest

    UGH! What sucks is I always felt some of the jobs that I was offered and way under qualified were only because I was young and pretty. Now the I am older and slightly overweight, but way more qualified, I am not finding work. I disagree with the small children thing though. I have seen that work to my advantage. You have to play that card right. It shows stability and that you will be with a company for a long time. Really the only answer is to stick it to the man and work for yourself. Start your own business or do consulting work. 

  • bombshell

    if ur interview is faster then 5 minutes YOUR NOT HIRED! if they dont care to tell you about themselfs and the job YOUR NOT HIRED!

  • Yes Sir

    I personally have been turned down for a position last year because in the past I made too much money (5-6 years ago made 90K).  I was unemployed for 1 year after that and have been underemployed for the last 3 years (making 45K a year) and working two jobs.  I was also called out for working two jobs.  The employers concern is that I would continue working at least one of the two jobs in addition to the career I was seeking with the new company.  Ridiculous!   I did it out of necessity to make ends meet.  I also have been recently ruled out by a recruiter for ADP because I currently do not make enough money to even interview for a position (no joke).  The recruiter was very interested in my background and experience and when I told her what I currently made, she couldn’t get me off the phone fast enough using that as a reason.  I work in sales and am at 140% of quota in current position with a 70 million dollar company a year.  Industry just doesn’t pay well.  Its discrimination against a persons income level.  What does it have to do with actually being able to perform and excell in the position?  NOTHING!  They are weeding people out from the interview process based on income not based on their experience and ability (which is what should be happening). 

  • Eastlake93

    If your field is really really in demand, say for instance a software developer, NEVER, EVER place co-workers as references.  We will call them and RECRUIT them. Many times I had friends competing for the same jobs.  Recruitesr need to make as many submittals for a postion as possible.