Eight Interviewing Styles

The Talker

The preferred environment for The Talker is a lunchtime interview. This allows the most sanguine of decision makers to treat themselves to a break from the office and a new audience that includes not only the interviewee but the restaurant staff and its customers. The Talker finds it important for you to know their resume, their philosophy, and the history of their organization. Usually very informative, The Talker tends to reveal both the good and the bad of a company with transparency, though if they are to be the candidate’s direct supervisor, The Talker may have a propensity for useless meetings and micro-management. During such an interview, the prospective employee has few opportunities to inject themselves into the discussion; therefore responses must be tactical. The Talker presents an air of intimacy which can tempt you to reveal more than you should.

The Dreamer

A whiteboard is the favorite tool of The Dreamer, and given the opportunity, they will use one in the interview, showing relationships, functions, and plans for the company. Often late for the interview, The Dreamer exudes thrill and contentment and can make any job–no matter how mundane–seem like paradise to the prospective employee. Note that the actual job is often very different from the one conceived in the gray matter of The Dreamer’s head. They will likely be a hands-off manager, leaving the new hire to float aimlessly or to create their own job description.

The Lord of the Manor

This interviewer wants you to appreciate their power and influence. Some take measured steps to show you that they have a large and dedicated support staff, a large desk, or a busy schedule. They will often assess you by your handshake and the first 90 seconds they spend with you. Working for The Lord of the Manor usually means infrequent praise, carefully defined rules, and personal distance. Become a trusted support of The Lord of the Manor, and you will typically be recognized with additional responsibilities and bonuses.

The Friend

Likeable and charming, The Friend wants you to like them, their company, and the job they are offering. They will indirectly indicate to a candidate that they are on the short list for the position, creating an immediate intimacy and partnership with the job seeker. They will be quick to send e-mails of follow-up, but are likely to be passive-aggressive when communicating a final decision. Working for The Friend gives a new employee and immediate advocate within the company and a trusted source for information and empathy.

The Networker

The Networker seems desperate to associate you with things they are associated with. Looking over your resume, they will suggest people they think you may know, the interview very quickly becoming an in-person version of a social networking site. Once assured that you are connected to trusted people or organizations, The Networker often feels comfortable enough to hire you on the spot. Barring this, they will suggest many other organizations you could try. As a manager, The Networker, enjoys phone calls, business trips, and conferences and will expect you to be active in the same.

The Cub Reporter

Working from a belief that the resume is only a frame for the real story, The Cub Reporter likes to work off-script; asking questions they feel are left unanswered by the information submitted by the candidate. These questions can allow the job seeker to flesh out their objectives, talents, and experience, but they can also lead the interview down many and various rabbit trails. Satisfy the curiosity of The Cub Reporter and you will go a long way to landing the job, but if your answers come too easily, this interviewer may feel it necessary to rattle your cage a little. 

The Strong, Silent Type

An interview with The Strong, Silent Type can leave the interviewee feeling much distress and a sneaking suspicion that the interview is over. It is unclear if Strong, Silent is unprepared; ill trained, or strongly believes that the candidate will eventually talk themselves into a corner to fill the silence. These are unpleasant interviews, but if you can get through them, you will usually earn the appreciation of this odd interviewer. As an employee, you will be given a long leash and not often face surprises if you keep them updated on your activities–they will interrupt when they hear something of interest or feel you need to make an adjustment.

The Company Squealer

This interviewing style gives the candidate an early sense of what the morale is like inside the organization. The Company Squealer will tell you about the meeting they had that day, the relationship they have with their boss, and what activities around the office are valued and which are derided. The interviewer often assumes that the candidate will be joining the company, but seems more interested in having a listening ear than in anything the job seeker may be trying to say. The Company Squealer is typically a poor manager who is on the lookout for their next career stop.