When is an Interview Free Consulting?

I'm a big fan of auditions in an interview. (I have many posts about auditions in this blog.)

However, some hiring managers and teams push interviewing and auditions too far. When you've had three interviews, and your interviewer asks you to solve a problem for them—again—is it a hiring issue, or are they asking you to consult for free?

Here is a way that works for auditions and interviewing:

• Create the dirtbag phone screen, if that matters to you.
• Use a technical phone screen to make sure you want to bring the candidate in.
• Interview in person with solo interviewers, for 45 minutes each. Use behavior-description questions and one 20-minute audition. Use the interview matrix so all the interviewers ask different questions.
• At the end of that interview, if you have several great candidates, ask them to come in one more time, and meet with up to 4 people. Maybe use another 20-minute audition.

That's it. You don't need a third round of interviews. You don't need that person to meet with more people. You should be able to decide based on your data to date, assuming you have organized your questions and auditions.

You don't need the perfect candidate. That candidate doesn't exist. You need someone who fits your culture and can learn fast enough for you.

If you have people do more than two 20-minute auditions, and/or meet with more than 8 people, you are dangerously close to asking for free consulting. Do you mean to do that? I find it demeaning to the candidate. It doesn't show your company in the best light.

You might want to read this post: Three Tips to Streamline Your Interviews and Auditions, Part 4.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view. Remember, the best interviews are conversations. If you pay attention to your candidates as human beings, you will get farther faster, than if you decide they are “resources” that you can take advantage of. (People looking for work talk to each other.)