Recently I’ve been thinking about job interviews, and if they really achieve what they are supposed to. Interviews have existed forever, and they are one of the most basic assessments that we have to measure whether or not a candidate will be a good job fit.
To me it seems very similar to the SAT. I remember sitting in high school absolutely dreading taking that exam because I hated standardized tests. I was scared that this assessment would limit me from attending the university I wanted to attend. I also remember taking a SAT prep course, and as the instructor stood in front of the group he stated: “I am not teaching the topics the SAT covers, I am teaching you how to take this test. Once you learn the test tips and tricks you will get better scores.”
Even sixteen-year old me was perplexed. We are teaching students how to take an exam, not what is on the exam? In the end I received an acceptable score on the exam, and moved on with my life, but let me get back to my point.
Every role is looking for someone different. Someone with startup experience! Someone with experience in a large organization! Three years customer service experience! (Insert name of specific platform or program) pro!
How can one person be all these things? Realistically, is a twenty-eight year old supposed to have five to eight years of experience in a specific field, and have all of this technical knowledge, and passion for this job’s industry, for every role they apply to?
The answer is they can’t. Applicants are also smart, they learn the techniques for applications and interviews, through career counselors, coaches, and Google. They learn to research the company, to use keywords in their resume, and to present their experiences in a way that paints the picture that they are the perfect fit for a role.
I am not writing this to say we need to do away with interviews, and I am not saying candidates are completing lying about their experiences. Yet, the flaw I see here is mainly with the hiring organizations. I believe that many organizations lack the creativity to see where previous skills can be applicable, and where technical and other skills can be taught. A wise manager of mine once told me “I can teach you how to do something, but I can’t teach you to have character.”
So, why don’t we hire for character?
Career & Goal Setting Coach 