Has anyone ever told you to take a hike when you are five minutes into a job interview? Jacqueline Novogratz has been known to do that to candidates. She’s the CEO of the Acumen Fund and was interviewed in the “Corner Office” in Sept. 30 issue of The New York Times.
By the time an applicant meets Novogratz, others have vetted the candidate for the necessary skill sets. She is looking for more. Because her description of what she looks for at that point is so much better than my poor power to summarize it, I quote:
“I ask people to tell me their story. How did you grow up? Who are the influences in your life? Tell me about a time when you really failed. And if you give me a really silly answer to that question, I’m going to know it and I’m going to ask you to leave. I have been known for the five-minute interview, which the team does not like.”
I could not agree with her more. Each person has just so much time and so much life force, and so many people waste it.
She goes on to describe what triggers the guillotine to the interview:
“If somebody says, ‘My biggest weakness is that I work too hard’ or ‘I'm a perfectionist.’ I want to know the essence of who you are, what makes you tick, why you are coming here. . . . When did you feel like you really let yourself down, and what did you learn from it? What are you most proud of, and what are you doing when you feel most beautiful? People get a little confused when I ask that question, and they'll ask, ‘What do you mean by beautiful?’ ”
Sounds like she's interviewing a bunch of lawyers, doesn’t it? She elaborates:
“What are you doing when you are shining, when you're in the zone, when you're on fire? What are you doing when you feel that way? I think you learn a lot about someone when they answer that question.”
The interview also illuminates the value employers are now placing on self-reflection. The examined life is, in fact, a life worth living.
Interesting approach, but what do you do when these questions push you right over the line into areas that violate federal law.
For example, I buried three children in a five year period. The emotional load from that created substantial disability, which is common to extreme grief.
During that period I woke up one morning to a story in the news that I was running for a position in Austin against a well established incumbant. Except, of course, no one had told me I was running.
Making the decision of whether to get elected or keep my family together was a core experience for me to deal with. I chose my family.
But, this gets into issues of religion, disability, political party memembership, etc. I would feel that, perhaps, someone wanting to get into those issues was a little intrusive vis a vis my ability to do a job and might reflect a number of things were being demanded for the employment process that are privileged under employment law.
My experience can not unique, albeit more extreme than most.
I can talk about the experiences, but it seems as if it reaches into areas that are perhaps not appropriate for a job interview.
Reading snippits like this makes me glad I am not interviewing for work right now.
Posted by: Ethesis | October 18, 2012 at 02:15 PM
I'm surprised to see this posted on an employment law column. Asking job candidates to "tell their life story" and "how they grew up" could lead to all kinds of legal trouble. When we think of how we grew up, we think of our national origins and traditions, religious upbringing. When we think of the events that shaped us, we might think of medical conditions or illnesses. Discussing these in an interview could give the appearance of discrimination based upon protected classes, disability, etc. Bad idea. I agree with having candidates share scenarios and discuss areas in which they've failed/need to improve, but sticking with work-related topics is the best way to go.
Posted by: Valerie | October 24, 2012 at 03:19 PM