Horror stories about interviews just keep coming and each one seems way worse than the last.
I’ve been on both sides of the table: as an interviewee and as an interviewer. Honestly, I’m not even sure which role is more stressful.
Some people seem to think that being the interviewer means being “in charge.” I’ve always hated that mindset. An interview is not power, it’s a responsibility - a huge responsibility. You might change someone’s career trajectory in a good or absolutely worst way.
As an interviewer, I’ve even confronted colleagues in the past who treated candidates unfairly or wanted to reject them immediately for completely absurd reasons. That kind of behavior does real damage not just to candidates, but to the company’s culture and reputation.
Everyone should pause for a moment and imagine themselves in the candidate’s place. Interviews are vulnerable moments. Behind every CV is a real person who prepared, stressed, and showed up hoping for a fair chance.
Being an interviewer is far more complex than just asking questions. It requires empathy, professionalism, psychology and self-awareness.
Thank you for this comment — I really appreciate it. I relate a lot to what you wrote, because I’ve also been on the interviewer side many times.
I still get stressed before interviews, and to be honest, it’s not my favorite part of the job. It’s a big topic on its own. I completely agree with you about empathy and the weight of making decisions about candidates.
The hardest situations for me are when someone is “in between” — not a clear yes, not a clear no. Those cases can stay in your head for a while, because you know your decision affects a real person.
I have to give credit to my current company here — they take this seriously and are careful about who becomes an interviewer. Technical skill alone isn’t enough. Social skills and empathy matter a lot too, because interviewers are also a company’s showcase.
You’re absolutely right: behind every CV there’s a real human being 🙂
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Horror stories about interviews just keep coming and each one seems way worse than the last.
I’ve been on both sides of the table: as an interviewee and as an interviewer. Honestly, I’m not even sure which role is more stressful.
Some people seem to think that being the interviewer means being “in charge.” I’ve always hated that mindset. An interview is not power, it’s a responsibility - a huge responsibility. You might change someone’s career trajectory in a good or absolutely worst way.
As an interviewer, I’ve even confronted colleagues in the past who treated candidates unfairly or wanted to reject them immediately for completely absurd reasons. That kind of behavior does real damage not just to candidates, but to the company’s culture and reputation.
Everyone should pause for a moment and imagine themselves in the candidate’s place. Interviews are vulnerable moments. Behind every CV is a real person who prepared, stressed, and showed up hoping for a fair chance.
Being an interviewer is far more complex than just asking questions. It requires empathy, professionalism, psychology and self-awareness.
Thank you for this comment — I really appreciate it. I relate a lot to what you wrote, because I’ve also been on the interviewer side many times.
I still get stressed before interviews, and to be honest, it’s not my favorite part of the job. It’s a big topic on its own. I completely agree with you about empathy and the weight of making decisions about candidates.
The hardest situations for me are when someone is “in between” — not a clear yes, not a clear no. Those cases can stay in your head for a while, because you know your decision affects a real person.
I have to give credit to my current company here — they take this seriously and are careful about who becomes an interviewer. Technical skill alone isn’t enough. Social skills and empathy matter a lot too, because interviewers are also a company’s showcase.
You’re absolutely right: behind every CV there’s a real human being 🙂