Don’t take the bait

QUESTION: Mr Smith, I just have a simple question for you. If an interviewer says to you: ‘We here in the company welcome any feedback in order to get better. What negative thing have you heard about our company? It doesn’t have to be something that you believe, just something you’ve heard’ – should I take the bait?

– Kay

CAREERS: Thank you for your question. You say your question is simple but I would say, it just sounds simple. If asked in the right manner, it has the potential to run the candidate off-track – if he or she is not prepared for it.

To answer your question: Don’t take the bait.

It is very likely that the interviewer is just asking to see if you will take the bait and start telling him something negative. Don’t believe the part about “you don’t have to believe it yourself”, but just something you may have heard. In the interviewer’s mind, it would amount to the same thing.

Just as a principle, it is never good to say something bad or negative about the company with which you’re interviewing. Decline to say anything negative.

Let’s look at a possible way to answer the question, instead of ‘No, I have heard nothing bad about your company’ – by the way, that is one simple way to answer the question; it beats giving a negative answer, and remember, you are in an interview, not yet in the company, so don’t commit yourself – say: ‘I’ve been going around, learning so many exciting about the company; no one has mentioned anything negative to me. And I don’t know enough about it to constructively critique it’.

‘stay in your lane’

The question may be a way for the interviewers to seek out information on what employees and others might be saying about their company behind their backs. Bear in mind that you are not there to help them sort through that company problem, and they don’t expect you to. They want to see how well you ‘stay in your lane’.

The statement about them welcoming feedback may make the interviewee feel like they are being helpful by giving them such information. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Another situation that you want to avoid is saying something negative that drags the interview off-track. The interviewer is looking for the best individual to fill the post. Once you give information that could eliminate you, you’re toast.

Never be naive enough to think that by being honest and transparent, you’ll be seen in a good light.

Whatever you think and whatever you happen to hear during your investigation of the company, don’t be lulled into divulging any of it. It will not serve your case. Keep your focus steadfastly on the relevant questions and don’t let it ever wander. To let it wander is to go the pathway of a failed candidate.

Glenford Smith is president of CareerBiz Coach and author of ‘From Problems to Power and Profile’ of Excellence.careerbizcoach@gmail.com