What you need to think about when interviewed by a younger interviewer

Are you ready for this interview loop?

Interviewed by a younger interviewer

Interviews are stressful enough, but being interviewed by a younger interviewer can add psychological complications.

First, put yourself in the less experienced person’s shoes. If you were 20 or 30-something and interviewing someone 10-20 years your senior, how would you feel?  More than likely, you are going to be a little nervous. This is why making the younger interviewer feel comfortable and important is the NUMBER ONE thing you can do to increase your chances of success with any demographic. No one wants to interview someone who makes him or her feel uncomfortable. If they don’t feel comfortable interviewing you, they will not stick around and see if they are comfortable working with you.

Your number one goal is to treat your younger interviewers as equal

I am generalizing and being a bigot here, but I am trying to make a point. I know the following stereotypes affect ALL demographics. The younger interviewer may lack a few personal or professional qualities. These should NOT come as a surprise to any candidate, regardless of experience level. This younger interviewer could be a gatekeeper, peer, or potential manager, so you absolutely need to treat them with the same respect you would a similarly experienced peer.  I have talked with candidates after being interviewed by a younger interviewer. The fact that one of the below is mentioned tells me that respect was lost. Although the candidate doesn’t think their disdain showed, trust me, 9 times out of 10, the younger interviewer took notice as well, and the game was cut short.  Don’t let any of the below throw you off your game (and yes, I am generalizing here.).

The younger interviewer:

• May be dressed significantly more casually than you 
• Will probably not have the polish, manners, or consideration you do.
• Won’t have the interview experience that you do.
• May not recognize the brands on your resume, including Fortune 100 companies.
• May ask more tactical or day-to-day questions than strategic questions.

I could have checked the above bullets in my 20s and early 30s. I would have been a little uncomfortable interviewing a potential boss. When I first started interviewing C-level execs, I was nervous, but over time, I learned a lot about handling myself from these more experienced candidates.

Over 40 stereotypes

As with any group, there are stereotypes. Assumptions are made, and questions will be asked, but they will all point to 3 questions:

• “Can you not just do the job but improve the role?”
• “Do you have a passion for the work?”
• “WILL YOU FIT IN?” or “CAN I WORK WITH YOU?” 

Regardless of your background or what demographic you represent, the first two requirements, “Can you do the job?” and “Do you have a passion for the work?” are pretty straightforward to prove. Prior jobs, bullets on a resume, and a few job-related interview questions on your experience make this one relatively binary.

Will you fit in?

In my opinion, the third bullet is the most important.  Will you fit in?  Can I work with you?  If you are over 40, there are several possible stereotypes (as unfair as it may be) working against your demographic. 

• Not up on technology or resistant to technology
• Not willing to work long hours because of family or health
• Do not understand, or worse, do not want to understand social media
• Not willing to roll up your sleeves and do the grunt work
• Stuck in an old-fashioned way of doing things

All of the above are very tough jabs and unfair.  I understand this.  Every group has stereotypes that are battled daily. The candidates that win this game are the ones who convey that they have broken the stereotype. They are comfortable with who they are and what they represent.  As much as we need to “break the stereotype,” what is even more important is not reinforcing negative stereotypes.

The first bullet listed above is “technology.”  If you come into an interview with an old flip phone, a day planner for a calendar, or mention that you resist Facebook, you are reinforcing the stereotype.

Stereotypes in the corporate world

I have a good friend who is Asian, and there are several things you will not catch him doing.  You will not see him wearing a camera around his neck or driving a lowered Honda with a big exhaust pipe and racing stickers.  In his mind, no professional corporate image will be reinforced with either of these images. To some degree, these things will only make the majority feel uncomfortable.  “Uhh dude, do you know what you look like with that camera around your neck?”  You don’t rike my camura?  It’s a Cashio doggy.”

It’s not what you say; it’s what people hear

Some of the most innocent things candidates over 40 say to a younger interviewer will end an interview. It isn’t intentional, it isn’t mean-spirited, and sometimes the person interviewing the candidate isn’t even able to figure it out, but they walk away with the feeling “the candidate talked down to me.” If I hear any of the below bullets in an interview, the candidate is probably working against themselves.  At the time of this writing, I am confident being Asian, I look 15 years younger than I am. I have heard all of the below. 

• You said:  “You are young; you still have plenty of time to experience x, y, and z.”
• They heard:  “You feel that your experience makes you more knowledgeable than me.”

• You said: “This is before your time, but” . . . (You want to call your age out, so start with this!)
• They heard: “I am older and wiser than you.”

• You said: “Kiddo, young fella, young lady, etc.”: Addressing anyone with these terms of endearment is not endearing. I personally hear this regularly. 
• They heard: “You call me what I assume you call your child.  If I am looked at like one of your children, how will I be treated?”

• You said: “I am impressed; you did well with this interview.”
• They heard: “You didn’t think I had the experience or the knowledge,” they felt they were not looked at as equals. 

Be neutral

You can score neutral points if you subtly show that you recognize what is important to this demographic.

• Like all demographics, younger people want to be treated as a peer, not like someone who is “less in any way.”
• This generation wants to work with passionate people about their product or service. This isn’t “just a job,” and no one wants to work with co-workers who view their position as “just a job.”
• The opportunity to learn new skills and concepts.

Show equality

One way to show equality is to ask for an opinion. This is something you would ask of a peer or someone with a similar amount of experience as you. You do not have to ask a technical question.  The following questions ask for a personal opinion and usually have a positive answer.

• “What attracted you to work at Acme Publishing?”
• “What do you like about working here?”
• “What advice would you have for anyone that starts with this company?”

We need to speak to not just this generation but ALL demographics in the same exact way you would speak to someone your age or with your background. Just because they are interviewing you doesn’t mean they are not as nervous as you are. They probably do not have as much interview experience as you, so make it easy for the younger interviewer.  Drive the conversation and answer the questions you know they want to hear answers to before the questions are asked. I still believe the best way to control an interview is explained here.

Get them rooting for you

One way to get a younger interviewer on your side is to convey that you are there to help them, just like you would be there to help a peer. You collaborate with peers and trade new ideas back and forth productively. Do the same with a younger interviewer; your age will not be an issue. Teammates and equals are hired.  Parents, bosses, and know-it-alls are declined.

See you at the after party,

HRNasty

nasty: an unreal maneuver of incredible technique, something that is ridiculously good, tricky, and manipulative but with a result that can’t help but be admired, a phrase used to describe someone who is good at something. “He has a nasty forkball”.

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