Gender balance

[Rudy Tamasz]

Just finished interviewing candidates for a manager's position. It is quite interesting and curious that men tended to go on in circles about their skills and vision and previous experience and stuff. Women were very specific, concise, down-to-earth and to the point. They also generally looked more confident and at ease with the fact of being interviewed.

When we were hiring a manager a year ago, we had pretty much the same picture. Both times we ended up selecting a woman. I wonder if two times is enough to get to some conclusions. I.e. women become manlier and tend to be problem solvers while men are getting nowhere. Is it a sign of things to come (or to have come)?

[Alexamateo]

Women in general have better verbal skills, which would indicate they interview better. They may or may not be a better manager in practice. I don't know anything about your particular position, so there's not enough information to say if you have made the right hire.

I will say this as an observation. I sell product in the construction industry. There are people who are extremely polished and talk a good game (I assume they would be an excellent interview), but in reality who are nothing more than con men and can't follow through in practice, while there are others who don't have particularly good communication skills (I assume they would not interview so well) who do excellent work and are good businessmen. To be sure there are some who possess both sets of skills, but interviewing is a skill like any other, and it may or may not indicate the person would be a good manager.

[Mark]

Managers are indeed a different breed. But you quite often find that when you have a super l33t tech guru type person, they don't interview well at all but they are outstanding at their job!

[GridGirl]

Interesting thread but maybe in some way scewed by your interview process and technique. I'm currently in the process of looking for a new job. I had an interview yesterday at a top four accounting firm that was more of an informal conversation about my career, experience and goals and want I would be looking for as a role. On Monday I had a competency based telephone interview with a top 10 accountancy firm which lead to a proper interview today which again was competency based and altogether more formal. The interview for my previous job consisted of about an hours worth of chat about my favourite football team and about half an hour talking about Michael Schumacher parking his Ferrari on the chicane during Monaco qualifying a few days previous and no talk about the job whatsoever. All completely different.

[Rudy Tamasz]

It is true that many people do not show their real strength at the interview. I believe that the runner up had a much better potential. But the eventual winner was unstoppable on the interview day. I tend to think that it is a formidable skill by itself to get your act together and perform when it matters. In the meantime potential might always remain just that, potential.

Oh yeah, and we forgot the male/female aspect of the discussion. ;)

[BDunnell]

Oh yeah, and we forgot the male/female aspect of the discussion. ;)

Which probably says a lot, because — and I'm not saying this out of criticism of the original notion of the thread — I'm not sure it matters all that much to the enlightened.

[Roamy]

Interesting thread but maybe in some way scewed by your interview process and technique. I'm currently in the process of looking for a new job. I had an interview yesterday at a top four accounting firm that was more of an informal conversation about my career, experience and goals and want I would be looking for as a role. On Monday I had a competency based telephone interview with a top 10 accountancy firm which lead to a proper interview today which again was competency based and altogether more formal. The interview for my previous job consisted of about an hours worth of chat about my favourite football team and about half an hour talking about Michael Schumacher parking his Ferrari on the chicane during Monaco qualifying a few days previous and no talk about the job whatsoever. All completely different.

Sounds like its time to hike the skirt up a bit :)