By Stephanie Clark

This blog entry departs from building interview skills. Its topic, dealing with a rude interviewer, resulted, unfortunately, from recent client complaints! Rude recruiters are unexpected; after all, we expect people in professional positions to behave, well, professionally! However, this brings home the fact that people are imperfect and subjective. Even some adults have yet to learn how to keep their negative emotions in check; others seem to get away with ongoing poor behavior; and yet others aren’t ashamed to share their dislike of another person, in this case the hapless interviewee.

How then, does someone in this position respond? If the company is one in which you’ve no real interest, i.e., it’s not on your list of top 20 employers, you have nothing to lose. I’d still recommend carrying on to the best of your ability, so as not to burn any bridges; one never knows what routes one’s life will take! And if you really want to work for this company, and it’s unlikely you’d have much to do with the rude member of the interview team, carry on, stay above the petty rudeness, finish your interview with strength, honor, and resolve. Be the bigger person, if only for your own conscience.

Although these rude adults would benefit from being called on their behavior, it is not the interviewee’s place to do so.