by Gabrielle Spiers,  Head Editor, INALJ Montana

You Are Not A Good Fit For This Position

Recently I got to be involved in hiring interns which was a very interesting experience partly because I love reading people’s resumes. I find what other people have done work-wise to be fascinating. Part of me wishes that I could just read resumes all day long!

That brings me to the question of fit which is something that I have heard a lot about and sort of not thought about too much.

Then I got to the stage where I interviewed people and realized how important it is. Of course I want the best candidate for the job but a component of that is also being able to fit into the workplace environment. That’s also the kind of thing that you can only get a sense of during an interview.

That’s why the interview is so important because that is what gives you a better sense of who the candidate is. An interview is a time for the employer to see what you are like but it is also a time for you to see what the potential work environment is like. It does always help me to remember that interviewing is a two way street.

Thinking back now on a couple of times when I didn’t get the job I realize that maybe I wasn’t such a good fit for the place. Or even if I thought I was maybe there was a candidate who clicked with everyone better than I did.

In conclusion I would also like to add that I found interviewing people as nerve-wracking as being interviewed myself.