The Art of the Interview: HR’s Ultimate Balancing Act Between Politeness and Poker Face

Ah, interviews—the cornerstone of HR’s job and a never-ending source of amusement, awkwardness, and sometimes downright confusion. Whether it’s a candidate who forgot their own resume or one who thinks their “biggest weakness” is working too hard (classic), HR professionals have seen it all. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the rollercoaster that is conducting interviews:

1. The Pre-Interview Pep Talk (For Ourselves) Before we even get into the interview, we give ourselves a little pep talk. “You’ve got this. No matter what happens, stay professional. Smile. Keep a straight face when they answer ‘What’s your greatest strength?’ with ‘My ability to do everything perfectly.’” And maybe, just maybe, no one will try to use air quotes for ‘team player’ today.

2. The “I Forgot My Resume” Moment There’s nothing quite like the candidate who walks into an interview and says, “I didn’t bring my resume—do you have a copy?” Why yes, we do! And don’t worry, it’s only the entire reason we’re here. But sure, let us grab that for you... while we also pull out our best poker face.

3. The Overzealous Handshake Interviews often start with a handshake, but let’s be real—there’s a spectrum of handshakes. On one end, you’ve got the limp handshake that makes you wonder if the candidate is made of Jell-O. On the other end, there’s the death grip that has us wondering if we’ll need to file for workers’ comp after this. Somewhere in between? The mythical “perfect” handshake. We’re still looking for it.

4. The ‘Greatest Weakness’ Question Oh, the classics. “What’s your greatest weakness?” There’s always the one candidate who hits us with, “I just work too hard. I’m such a perfectionist.” And we nod politely, taking notes while thinking, “Ah yes, another overachiever. I bet you never procrastinate watching cat videos at work, huh?”

5. The “Did You Even Read the Job Description?” Interview Then there’s the candidate who clearly did not read the job description. “So, what exactly does your company do again?” We try not to let our left eye twitch as we explain, once more, that we’re looking for someone with experience in sales, not someone who just really likes chatting on the phone.

6. The Surprise Casual Attire Business casual, they said. But apparently, that memo didn’t make it to the candidate who shows up in flip-flops and a Hawaiian shirt. We try not to stare too long, but it’s hard when their outfit screams “pool party” and we were hoping for more of a “job interview” vibe. Still, we smile and soldier on—HR pros are nothing if not adaptable!

7. The Overprepared Candidate We admire the candidate who has researched the company inside and out. But when they start telling us our own company history in excruciating detail, we can’t help but feel like we’re on the wrong side of the interview. “Yes, in fact, we did open our second office in 1997, and wow, you really know a lot about our CEO’s dog…”

8. The “Why Do You Want to Work Here?” Dance Ah, the golden question. While some candidates give thoughtful, genuine answers, others hit us with the classics: “I need a job,” or, “I saw the pay was good.” We nod along, trying to appreciate the honesty but secretly wishing for a little more... enthusiasm about the role. We’re flattered that the paycheck caught your eye, but how about some excitement for the actual job?

9. The Post-Interview Wrap-Up Once the interview wraps up, we do the polite “Any questions for us?” routine. And occasionally, we get gems like, “What time is lunch around here?” or, “How many vacation days can I take in my first month?” We try to keep it professional while silently reminding ourselves that this, too, shall pass.

At the end of the day, interviews are an HR adventure—part detective work, part poker face, and 100% unpredictable. Whether we’re navigating awkward answers or dodging handshake injuries, it’s all in a day’s work. And who knows? Every now and then, we find the perfect fit amidst the awkward anecdotes and forgotten resumes.

HR: Where interviewing is a sport, and we’ve mastered the art of keeping a straight face. 💼🤐