Do you know who will actually make the decision about hiring you or not?
The answer to this question is a vital part of good interview preparation. Who is the decision-maker, and what is that person’s job? It might seem to be an obvious question, but sometimes people don’t realize that, so they don’t ask the recruiter for that information.
Back when I was a recruiter, I always had to know who would make the hiring decision. If I were placing an Accounting Manager, that person would typically report to the Controller, who then reported to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
- Maybe the Controller was the decision-maker for a candidate to be hired, but the CFO had to be involved and bless it. The hiring process was important because the candidate would eventually become a team member.
- Or maybe the Controller was doing the screening of candidates, and the Chief Financial Officer would be the person making the final decision.
It was my job as a recruiter to understand the dynamics of this relationship and make sure the candidate knew what was happening behind the scenes.
Sometimes, companies essentially make hiring decisions by consensus of a small group. Then it is even more important to know who will pull the trigger.
So how do you find out who is the decision-maker? It is simple.
- Just ask the person who is setting up the interview. Don’t be shy. You need to know the person’s name, job title, and how they are in the position to make a hiring decision.
Don’t let your interview be a blind date! You need to know who it is who can actually hire you. Over the past twenty years, I have helped countless people prepare for interviews, starting as a recruiter, now a resume writer and coach. If you click here, it will take you to my calendar to schedule a FREE call with me. I’d be delighted to give you the inside scoop on how job interviews are conducted and give you the tools you need to ace them!