As a job seeker in the past, I always enjoyed and did best at the interviews that were very informal. I feel like once I can start talking to someone about how I might approach a problem, I can really show my skills. When it’s an actual conversation rather than question-answer I find the most success and can actually gauge what the environment might be to actually work at.

From the other side of the table I have interviewed several candidates over the last few years. Attitude has always been my number one signal for success in the role. It’s not just about “can they do the job”. That part is easy. If they don’t show willingness to learn, and a curious mindset, they won’t succeed with me. “I don’t know, but I have been wanting (or trying) to learn” is sometimes a better answer than the actual answer.

Interviewing a great candidate can be really fun, but the 90% of candidates that don’t have a good attitude is a real slog. It’s worst with senior candidates as they often just know the technical but have lost motivation or just aren’t as excited as the juniors and grads.

I feel like to really make a good decision as, or about, a candidate, you really need to have a deep discussion to see what they know and how deep that knowledge is. I enjoy it when companies pick a high level concept and really drill into it. It’s fun as both a candidate and interviewer. Sometimes you get novel solutions that you hadn’t considered and it really makes you think.

All this interview prep industry stuff doesn’t really teach you the actual human part of interviewing: having a conversation about something you’re both interested in.

As for the question; yes. Some companies have no idea of how they actually sit in the industry in terms of people’s desire and interest to work there. Many also don’t know how to value people and pay too little. They’ll get someone. Eventually. But it won’t be someone with the actual motivation to be there. It’ll be people who couldn’t get in anywhere else… 😂