When hiring managers need help

There's one philosophy you might consider about job interviews: No matter what approach you use during an interview, you should enter into it knowing that the hiring manager may not be a good interviewer and it is your job to make sure you have a good interview. 

I often sit in on conference calls with managers who try to illuminate the finer points of their open position(s) so we can find better qualified candidates. I'm often struck by a few points during this conference calls and I'll share them with you here. 

1. Some managers value interview skills above all. Most of those managers don'tseem to  realize they are judging candidates based on interview skills, but think they are digging deep into who you are based off the impression you give. Keep this in mind. Interview skills are a large part of interview success. 

2. Managers often can't articulate job needs even when given a chance to speak freely, so when you come across a job description that seems vague, don't be surprised. You need to ask the questions necessary to get answers that give you a solid understanding of what the job entails. 

3. Hiring managers often have unrealistic deadlines and expectations about the hiring process at their company. Many job candidates take things literally: "We'll make a decision by Friday" doesn't always mean they will (or can) make the decision by Friday. Don't express your frustration all over the internet when a company doesn't move as quickly as you expected or they told you they would. Things can also change quickly and hiring can be put on hold and even stopped all together without warning. Be understanding and flexible because they may come back to you with an offer in the months to come.