photo credit: Sharon G.

One of the techniques I use when interviewing people for a job is reverse-interview.
The method is quite simple. The applicant walks in, you have a little chit-chat to break the ice, and then you reverse the role. Ask him to interview you for the job at hand and see what happens.

What the …?

Well, think about it. When you interview someone for a position, your questions direct the interview. You may find that the person sitting across is very good in some areas, or inadequate at others, but you won’t necessarily get his understanding of the role he is interviewing for.

When you let them ask the questions, they’ll have to be active, show you what they believe is crucial for the role, and based on what they ask (and what they don’t) – you’ll be able to get a pretty good understanding of who this person is, what they can do, and what is it going to be like working with them.

Additionally, you’ll see if they can focus. Do they ask the right questions? Do they have the required depth of knowledge to dig and find out more? It takes a good level of understanding a role and what it entails to interview someone. What better than to actually test the applicant directly?

What if they’re bad interviewers?

Well, you don’t have to use this technique if it doesn’t work. Not all people can interview – that’s fine. If you see that it isn’t working – you can always reverse back. You can even start this exercise saying “Let’s reverse our roles for five questions..” – and if it works – just ask them to carry on.

What if he asks a question that I can’t answer?

Well, you are the interviewer, even though he gets to ask the questions. You don’t have to answer every question he has – you can say “That’s a very good question!” and nod enthusiastically. If you don’t use this every other question – you’ll be alright…
As an added bonus – you’ll be able to find what (if anything) you’re lacking yourself.

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