Interview studs

As an opposite of the interview duds thread, here's a thread for people to tell stories about the people who came in and did the right things in the interview. Either they got the job or they should have gotten the job in hindsight.

Or just list a favorite interview (for positive reasons) if you can remember one.

 

Regular interview studs, or fuckin' young interview studs?

 

Either one. Take your pick.

 

For me, the first two interviews I ever did were the best ones of all time. They pretty much all went downhill from that lofty standard.

First one was actually an interview for a guy who was coming in for an unpaid internship. Dude walks in wearing a suit. He was literally dressed better than I was. Turned out to be absolutely professional during said interview. In fact, he was better in this interview than some of the people I interviewed for a full-time reporting gig.

Second one was the first person I ever interviewed for a full-time job. The freelance photog I mentioned in the interview duds thread was using the lunch room where I was planning to conduct the interview. Ad director was in his office, etc. I finally ended up using the circulation manager's office to conduct the interview. All the while, I'm thinking this sends a bad message to the guy I'm about to interview but he's taking everything in stride.

I was really nervous because it was the first time I was interviewing someone for a full-time position. However, the guy put ME at ease before too long. He wasn't wearing a suit, but he had the shirt, die and dress slacks thing going, but the thing that struck me was his answer to one of my early questions. He said, "I'll stay up 'till one or two o'clock to make sure a story's right." More significant, though: He was the first person I asked a question that's now my signature interview question ("why did you pick the clips you picked?"). Every other time I've ever asked that, I asked it with the mindset that it's an interview question and I'm going to use the answer to help me decide your fate. When I asked this guy that question, I felt like I could have asked him as we kicked back with a couple of beers at the bar.

Needless to say, this was the guy I ultimately hired.

 

You sure enjoy the use of that first-person pronoun.
I have been in interviews with some of the best in the business. At times, some of the worst.
"I" have never hired anyone. "We" have. There is air of pretentiousness about the former.
That is unless one's name is Chandler, Graham, Bancroft or Ochs-Sulzberger.

 

Seems you're unnecessarily breaking balls here. If he was given the task of finding the guy and he picked this guy, there's nothing wrong with saying, "I hired him."

 

Damn. Lighten up, Francis.

 

Yeah. You're right.
I was think more cumulative effect. But, you're right.
Long week.

 

Now what was the answer that was so great?

 

I've hired a bunch of people, and trust me, when they are a bust, who's the first person to take it? ME!!!

 

However, that only happened once, and usually I pick pretty solid people.

 

It's true. And, bad hires stay with you a lot longer than the good ones.