On the Mutual Job Interview

Job interviews usually run like oral exams: a set of questions and answers the candidate tries to pass, with all the pressure and discomfort that comes with that.

In this idea I want to walk through an approach where the interview feels more like meeting someone who might become a new friend, and the goal is to get to know them and let them get to know you.

I believe the one steering the interview is the host (though a skilled interviewer can steer it even as the guest). So the idea is this: after welcoming the guest, the host introduces themselves first, their work, their experience, the kinds of projects they've worked on and are working on, and what the company is building. Then they leave room for the guest, in case they have questions about the host and their experience, or about the company and its projects. Then the guest does the same, introducing themselves, their experience, their projects, and maybe their current employer, and the host discusses that experience with them and explores where and how they could work together.

Here we might walk away with several benefits

• This approach cuts down the pressure and stress that come with interviews.
• It helps turn the meeting into a good opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience.
• Building valuable relationships out of passing interviews and widening your circle of contacts in the same areas of interest.
• Just as the interview is an opportunity for the guest, it's also one for the host: a chance at a job with the guest, now or in the future. The guest usually leaves with a good picture of the host and their experience, and might need them now or later.

The interview might end with exchanging a way to stay in touch, whether a phone number or a social media account.

This approach also means the guest starts taking interviews not just to land a job, but to study what the job market needs and build relationships at the places they want to reach.

It can have its downsides. If the interviews pile up, it might get distracting. But if you're someone running interviews at work these days, you might use it to meet some wonderful new people.