Questions answered Part 1

I know so many wonderful people! I think that must be one the great things about my role as a recruiter. This post is a series of questions from my friend Alex. Alex owns Benoit's Backyard Botanicals (he's also a very talented MIS guy). Not only is Alex an awesome guy, but he's helped our family build a backyard garden to grow veggies. (If you are interested in getting in touch with Alex, let me know!) Part 1

Question 1 "How do you handle an interview you have been selected for that has a job posting description that sounds ideal, but during the interview you find out the job description the interviewing panel is describing, doesn't match what was on the job description that was posted?"
Answer 1 "If you are in an interview (woo-hoo), and you realize the position has morphed from your original understanding, it is important to interview to the best of your potential. Often positions change, either due to a shift in priorities or because while the client was interviewing, other points became more important. All is not lost. If you realize that you no longer either find the role ideal, or feel you don't match, still interview in an interested and tuned-in way. You never know what the group knows and it's hard to come back and show enthusiasm on the back end."

Question 2 "Do companies post jobs knowing that they are not hiring anyone?"
Answer 2 "Yes. Companies keep posting jobs even when they are on a freeze. Basically the companies know that this situation will end too, and finding good, qualified candidates will again be an issue. So, posting these roles is their way of remaining visible."

Question 3 "How do you handle a situation during an interview where you don't feel comfortable answering a question?"
Answer 3 "That's a tough one. I believe it depends on the nature of why you don't want to answer the question asked. If it's a question about money and you are concerned that you'll box yourself in, you can try to push the conversation back to your interest in the opportunity. If you are worried about a past employment relationship and how it ended, etc., it's important to not be sour grapes and to spin things in a positive way. I think it would be good to role play this if you are concerned. If the question is actually one of those taboo type questions (religion, politics, etc.), again, I'd try to steer the conversation in an another direction."

Alex has a couple of other great questions. I'll save those for my next post. Build a garden in your backyard, grow your own veggies, what could taste better (call Alex!)