Not clicking with Interviewer

Recruiting for HK 2024 SA and have just done my 2nd phone/zoom interview. I answered most of the technicals correctly (qs were getting harder and harder) and have solid answers for behaviourals. But I don't feel like I connected with the interviewer that nicely, the interview process was quite mechanical. 

I understand what gets a candidate to the next round is whether they clicked with the interviewer in terms of personality/interests and I don't feel like I have accomplished that with interviewers, and I'm worried that's gonna stop me from getting an offer. 

What does it take to actually get an offer? I know the obvious ones like get good with technical and behavioural qs, have a nice/determined character, have 'interesting' interests (listed on resume) but anything else I can do to improve my chances?

Or maybe what's the best candidate like? 

Thanks WSO community.

 
Most Helpful

Having been on both sides (interviewee as a student years ago, and now as a hiring manager): 90%+ of the decision is made in the first 30 seconds of the interview.

At my firm, we are supposed to go through a list of questions, be methodical and impartial, etc. But the reality is that we make up our minds almost immediately. In a typical 30 minute interview, 28 minutes is just fluff.

…which then goes to the point I tell students/prospective interns: there is so much luck involved in this process and it’s best not to take rejections too personally. Perhaps your interviewer just got divorced and wants to take it out on all the interviewees that day (ie reject everyone), maybe the interviewer is super racist or sexist, or maybe they straight up hate fat people. The “luck” factor in the interview process is much bigger than some younglings realize.

 

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