3, 2, 1 and we have an un-successful launch!
One of the things about me is that I have nicknames for the types of candidates I come across. I’d like to think I am as clever as a Seinfeld episode (“she’s a low talker”), I am sure I am not. But I digress.
Most of the times, my nicknames are for positive attributes of candidates. However, when I refer to a “Launcher” it’s a negative term. Who is the Launcher? We’ll the start of the interview goes something like this:
Me: Thanks for coming in today. Before I start peppering you with questions, do you need any clarity from me about the position, the company or the culture?
Candidate: No, I don’t have any questions. I’ve spent 20 years in this industry, and I know a lot about it. Not that I know everything, but a lot. At my last job I was there for 8 years. I had 2 promotions, and my department had six people. Once my boss told me that I was the best person he had ever worked with. It was unfortunate that there was a budget cut and I was laid off with 20% of the work force. So, I’ve been looking for work for the past two months when I saw your job, and I’ve been interested in your company for a while, so I thought I would take a chance and apply. Yada yada yada (see what I did there?) Anyway, my experience completely matches what you are looking for!
They launched right in, the worst way possible. And it’s not even the sorriest of a Launcher, as my most wordy one went on for 20 minutes. Yes, I timed it. Worst part? They thought it was good information to share. It wasn’t. Maybe they thought they were giving me an elevator speech? They weren’t. They were likely nervous or they have bad judgment.
Dealing with nerves deserves its own blog in the coming months. So stay tuned.
When I interview a launcher, it becomes a bit of a game for me. True launchers don’t let a word in edgewise, and they will almost always pull themselves out of the running because they talk too much and give unnecessary information. When giving information that is not needed, most hiring managers chalk it up to lack of judgment. Good judgment is a requirement of all jobs.
Next time you interview, listen to what is asked. Do give only relevant information as it pertains to the question. And learn to be comfortable with the brief silence between questions. Oh, and watch a couple episodes of Seinfeld, the entire series is available on Hulu.
Do you have questions or subject matter suggestions for a future blog? Send them to daava@foodguys.com.