During the job search, applicants should be aware of the courtesy interview. A courtesy job interview is one in which the company recruiter does not intend to hire the candidate, but conducts the interview anyway. The courtesy interview is known to human resources departments and is a practice performed by all levels of the hiring process.

There are also ceremonial interviews. The reviewer has already decided to hire the candidate and the meeting is perfunctory. The courtesy interview, on the other hand, is a pretense of interest. There are some professionals who believe that it shows a lack of respect towards the job applicant. At the very least, it leans to an incredible disservice to the applicant and a waste of time for both parties. If done carelessly, it can leave the candidate with a bad taste in their mouth. So why recruiters, headhunters, former colleagues, Fortune 500 companies, etc. conduct courtesy interviews?

The answer is found in two types of courtesy interviews:

• After about ten minutes, it is clear to the interviewer that you are not the right candidate for the company. But he or she wants to be courteous and will continue the interview for another twenty to thirty minutes before thanking you for your visit;

• The interviewer only sees you out of obligation or human resources policy. Regardless of whether the interviewer is interested in you or not, they will proceed anyway out of courtesy and / or respect.

So how do you know that you are in a courtesy interview? Here are some examples:

• The first sentence could be: “I just wanted to see where you are in your career pursuit.” This is a fishing expedition. The interviewer is curious about what you have done since your last job, what companies you have spoken with so far, or to pump you for information that is not relevant to your job search;

• “We had finished the final interviews when we received your resume. After looking at your impressive cover letter and resume, we thought we should speak with you before making a final decision.” This means that a senior person in the company asked the candidate to run. That information was in the cover letter. For the interviewer, he only does it out of respect or fear of the company executive.

• “As you know, we are an equal employment opportunity company. We take it seriously and take it into account when we interview candidates.” This is done to avoid discrimination lawsuits. Some companies that accept government funding are required to conduct at least 3 interviews with applicants from various backgrounds. On a positive note, it could also mean that the company is honest about hiring a diversity of applicants, including you.

Ten to fifteen minutes should be enough to know whether or not you are in a serious interview or speaking with a person who is going through the steps. It is clear that he or she has no desire to hire you. So what should you do once you find out that you are in a courtesy interview?

• Ignore irrelevant questions from the interviewer and do the interview of a lifetime. Dazzle and impress. Why? You may decide to refer you to another company that would love to hire you. Or, the recruiter may think that you are not the right fit for the current job, but you are perfect for another vacant position at the company;

• Tactfully end the interview. Say you don’t think you are the right person for the job and you don’t want to waste your time;

• No matter how you feel, don’t be rude or show how angry you feel. You can see this person again;

• Always thank the interviewer for speaking with you. Depending on how you and the interviewer clicked, ask for a referral so you don’t feel like a waste.

• Make an assessment of the interview. Take note of the positives. When did your conversation seem to enthuse the recruiter? What topics prompted you to ask follow-up questions?

It is always difficult to go through interview after interview, not knowing whether or not you are wasting your time and energy. Don’t take it personally. The job search market is extremely competitive. Look at the courtesy interview as one of several that an unemployed person will experience while searching for a job.

Job seekers must seek employment as a daily duty. You must be diligent, consistent, and determined to find a job that suits your skills, experience, education, and temperament. Your task is to convince a company that you are the right person for the job.

A positive attitude will go a long way toward leaving a negative meeting in the past. Don’t let a bad interview experience kill your spirit. Expect; stick to your daily job search routine and strive to get an interview with the next company you like.

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