The pros and cons of speaking informally with a recruiter

During a job interview, most of the questions you will be asked by a recruiter will be formal in nature. These are the “official” questions that help the interviewer choose the right person for the job. The tone of the conversation can be convivial, but the intention is unwavering: it’s a job interview and you’re being evaluated.

At the same time, there is always a portion of the interview that is informal. Sometimes these informal exchanges can be minimal: “Did you have a hard time finding the office?” or “Finally, summer has arrived! A bit of sun is great, isn’t it?”

In these cases, there’s very little chance that the information exchanged could have an impact on the outcome of the interview.

But if you have a more elaborate informal discussion with a recruiter, could it end up having an impact?

Pros

Engaging in a conversation that has nothing to do with the job being offered is a good way for a recruiter to get a sense of who a candidate is and to establish bonds.

Informal talks are usually pleasant and light. Generally, candidates can use these opportunities to display favorable aspects of their personality.

It’s ideal if, during the course of the conversation, a common interest or passion is identified. Of course, a candidate won’t be selected for a job just because they also happen to adore golf, but finding common ground can certainly engender a positive bias.

Even better, when these types of exchanges take place at the beginning of an interview, the candidate will likely feel much more comfortable with the recruiter during the formal part of the interview. The ice has been broken, allowing the candidate to relax a little – which will no doubt help them respond in a more elaborate way to formal questions.

Cons

Candidates still need to be be vigilant about how they respond to informal questions during an interview. Their answers may have a direct impact on the outcome and can bring a subjective dimension to an interview that’s very difficult to control.

A seemingly banal question can lead to unexpected places.

“Finally it’s vacation time! This year, my family and I are heading to Florida for Christmas. What will you do?”

If the candidate doesn’t celebrate Christmas for religious reasons, how should they respond?

Or maybe the candidate will be spending Christmas alone because they have no immediate family around. What impression will the recruiter get when they hear this answer?

A candidate can sidestep this question fairly easily by saying “I’m not doing anything special this year, it’s a Christmas like any other.”

But it’s difficult to prepare in advance for these kinds of questions, since they are informal and unexpected. When these questions are posed, the candidate often has the impression that the interview hasn’t started yet, or that it’s already finished. When answering informal questions they don’t have the same mindset as they do during formal questioning. The difference between the two becomes blurred and the limit of what the candidate should share with the recruiter is no longer clear.

For example, if the recruiter is talking about the Montreal Canadiens and mentions that they won’t make the playoffs this year, is it ok for the candidate to make a joke along the lines of: “I’m a Boston fan and we beat the pants off you this year!”

A friendly joke can bring people closer together, but it can also cause a chill, if for example the recruiter takes hockey very seriously or doesn’t have much of a sense of humor.

On the other hand, if a candidate comes across as too guarded during informal exchanges in an attempt to avoid making a mistake, the result can be no better. The recruiter may take it to mean the candidate has a hard time relating to people or is mistrustful.

Informal questions allow a candidate to relax a bit, but people must be careful to not take it too far. An invitation to a little conviviality is not a ticket to an all-you-can-eat buffet.

For example, personally, if I’m invited to talk about a subject that I’m passionate about, I may go on and on and not recognize the right time to stop. This can make me look bad, so I need to keep myself a little shy and contain my impulse to babble.

My advice

As a candidate, you need to keep in mind that every interaction you have with a recruiter will influence the selection process. I don’t mean that a recruiter will consciously initiate an informal exchange with you with the goal of tripping you up, but it’s important to stay vigilant.

You can certainly adopt a more relaxed tone during informal exchanges, but don’t think the interview is over just because the recruiter has stopped taking notes and is chatting with you on your way out.

Remember that people generally like to talk about themselves. Being interested in someone makes you interesting to them. With this in mind, you can respond briefly to a recruiter’s questions and try to get them to talk by asking questions.

“I won’t be doing anything special this Christmas, but I wish I could go to Florida too! Why did you choose to go to Florida this year?” Stay conscious of the recruiter’s body language: are they asking you a question out of politeness, and don’t really want to get into a long conversation? Do they really want to talk?

Stay positive, but without boasting or flattering the recruiter too much. In other words, don’t give the impression that you’re trying to use the informal exchange to gain extra points. It could come across as too opportunistic on your part.

In conclusion

To prepare for a job interview, a candidate will often get ready for every aspect except the informal conversations. This is usually the most overlooked element of a job interview, so it’s very important for job seekers to reflect on it and not get taken by surprise during the interview.

Many employers believe strongly in the informal discussion process, which can give a more “real” impression of a candidate than a stilted official interview. Some bosses will invite you out to lunch to talk and see if you “click.”

In fact, this method of interviewing is becoming increasingly popular among employers. So prepare yourself for just such an encounter!

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