Interviewers: most impressive candidate you've ever encountered?

To anyone who's ever interviewed  other people, who was the most impressive candidate you've ever come across?

What made them the top 1% apart from the average? Was it their experience, skill, or the way they packaged themselves? Why were you, personally, impressed?

 

I was on a panel of seven a few years back and we had four candidates left to interview for two roles in two locations.


This guy walks in and presents himself, top tier education, multiple languages, grew up in the US and Europe. Then he said he founded a non-profit when he was younger (he was already young) to help disadvantaged women in Africa. I didn't think of it as a big deal during the interview, but when I got home I typed in the name of the non-profit and realized it employed more than 200 people. That small idea he had was a huge success and helped thousands of African women either find a job or get out of a violent home or avoid child marriage (I am just summarizing what I remember from back then).

And all of this happened while he was 17-23 years old and while he was studying. I thought that was impressive.

 

So, this is probably not the answer you want, but it is my "most impressive candidate story" when I've been on interviewer side:

Applicant - A current intern (who was more or less a FT-post graduation intern at this point)

Position - Analyst 

Summary of interview -

Question - Why are you qualified to do this job?

Answer - I'm basically already doing this job.

Response - You're hired!

I think the "most impressive" candidates are just the ones that best fit the job description to be honest, that plus right attitude and cultural fit (clearly, with a prior/current intern, this is easily established long before an interview).

The "overqualified" applicants can be fun to talk to, but it really is hard to overcome the "fit for the job" issues. If one is in that place, my advice is to sell why you are a fit and thus not overqualified. 

Personally, I think it is way easier to get a job that "punches up", where you seem minimally qualified or un-proven than the other way around (at least that has been my personal experience). 

 

QuarterLifeCRE

Ultimately it probably won't be sustainable to have a team with all A+ players

To be honest, defining "A+ player" is really tough. I mean, think about professional athletes, what matters? Wins/points scored/etc. right? All that stuff gets measured A. after they are hired and B. game after game. So, the strategy of hiring isn't that dissimilar to like fielding a professional sports team, you are looking for players that will succeed in your style of play, work well with the current set of players, and otherwise appear to have the best chance at being successful in your "system". 

There are also similar constraints as "salary caps" with the less sexy term, budgets. The big difference in business careers is that you should hopefully only improve your value as you age, gain experience... Athletes face a decline function most of the time, thus hiring in real estate/finance is more about forward projecting that person's potential, not necessarily the value/skills they arrive with on day one (this is clearly more the case at the analyst/associate level, less so as you move up the ranks and salary scale). 

 
Funniest

We interviewed a 6’4” linebacker from Amherst with a perfect hairline. His story was well thought out and he breezed though technicals.

Prior to the interview, he took an immaculate, solid 8-inch shit in our toilet. No wiper.

He ended up declining our offer but rumor has it he fingerbanged our female VP shortly after our recruiting process ended.

 
Most Helpful

"Fit" is a short-handed way of saying, cultural fit. Or really, do you seem like you will get along with the team, and perform well in the work culture of the organization (and on the specific team/group you are interviewing with). 

I'll give an example.... Do you want to work for a firm where you are expected to wear a suit and tie everyday, or prefer a firm where people never wear ties and rarely jackets even (please sub this example for female work attire as needed)? That is example of "fit", some people will be motivated/energized by getting "dressed-up" everyday, others will find it oppressive/stuffy. 

There are lots of these type dimensions, include those on work/life balance, hours, stress levels, work ambiguity, and even level "casualness" in relationships. There can also be political, or even religious type cultures (go apply for jobs in the south....). 

So, how do you "sell" fit... ideally you don't, you "display" it. And frankly, the firm should be selling fit onto you as much you to them. I mean, do you really want to work where you don't "fit"?

That said, as there is a lot of arbitrariness here, you can be observant (and do research frankly) and then display your traits such that you demonstrate your fit. This is really just social-emotional intelligence type stuff. For example, if people at the firm seem to really care about volunteering/charity work, you can emphasize your volunteering type work as part of general leadership/interests questions. Another example, if it is clearly a "stay late" kinda firm, talk about staying up and pulling all-nighters to do projects or study for exams (this is an example for a student interviewing I guess). 

You shouldn't really try and fake any of this, or even try and sell it (I've heard some funny examples of this failing badly tbh). It should be natural, and frankly, you will have a shitty experience (can read plenty of those on WSO) if you try too hard to get with a firm you are not best suited for. 

 

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