【Workplace Life】The Meaning of Two-Way Interviews

In the past, I always felt that things like "experience" and "life experience" were like terms from books—seeming very important, yet feeling very distant from myself, as if one would only truly understand their meaning after getting old and going through many things. But as I gradually grew older, especially recently starting interviews again, I discovered that people really do change slowly through one experience after another, and those things that once seemed abstract can suddenly become very concrete at some point.

When I first entered the workforce, my understanding of interviews was very simple. Basically, the company would ask me questions, and I would answer them. The interviewer was like the one setting the questions, and I was like a candidate waiting to be scored. If they asked about work experience, I would talk about what I had done; if they asked why I left my previous job, I would try to give a reasonable answer. Finally, when they asked, "Do you have any questions for us?" I would usually say no. On one hand, I really didn't know what to ask; on the other, at that time I didn't have enough work experience to know what aspects of a company were truly worth paying attention to.

Looking back now, the interviews back then were really like taking an exam without knowing the scope—how could I possibly know what to ask?

But now I have begun to embrace the concept of "mutual interviewing." Of course, the company is screening candidates to see if they have the ability, whether their experience fits, and whether they can handle the job. But from the job seeker's perspective, I am also evaluating whether the company suits me—whether the work content matches my expectations, whether the management style is acceptable, whether the team's way of working fits my habits, and even details that aren't written in the job posting need to be confirmed gradually through the interview.

Especially after working at several different companies, I now know what I care about. Before, I might only ask about salary, benefits, and working hours. Now, I go further to understand how workload is distributed, how many products one person is responsible for, the department's staffing, how the supervisor usually manages, whether overtime is the norm, how capacity shortages are typically handled, and even whether overtime is scheduled during consecutive holidays. I take the initiative to ask these questions. It's not to make things difficult for the interviewer, but because I already know that the same job title can mean completely different work lives at different companies.

I have also gradually discovered that with real experience, the number of questions one can ask during an interview actually increases. Because you've been through some companies and encountered some situations, you know which seemingly minor details might directly affect your daily work experience once you're inside. Before, I might have thought, "As long as the job content is similar, it should be fine." Now I want to further confirm exactly how similar that "similar" is, because what truly makes someone decide to stay or leave is often not the few lines of job description, but the actual daily work methods they face after joining.

This is also a clear change I have felt during recent interviews. Before, I would be very afraid of answering poorly and worrying that the interviewer wouldn't have a good impression of me. Now, although I still get nervous, the reason for the nervousness is different. I hope to explain my experiences clearly, and I also hope the other party can explain the company's situation clearly, because this is no longer just a question of "whether the company wants me," but "whether we are suitable for each other."

Moreover, this two-way understanding has actually made interviews less frightening for me than before. When I start asking my own questions, listen to how the other person answers, and then compare what they say with my past experiences, I find it easier to judge whether the job is truly what I want. Sometimes a company isn't bad; it's just that the way of working it offers isn't what I currently want. Similarly, I don't have to be someone every company wants to hire—I just need to find a place where we can work together.

Before, I always thought an interview was a company's review of the job seeker. Now I realize it is more like a process of exchanging information between both sides. The company is assessing whether I can do the job, and I am assessing whether the company can let me work well. The company has its expectations, and I have my conditions. When both sides can clearly ask what they truly want to know, the final choice will be closer to one's real self.

Perhaps this is what is meant by experience and life experience. It may not make you become particularly capable, nor will it guarantee you make the most perfect decision in every choice, but it will make you start knowing what to look at, what to ask, and which things can no longer be ignored. The past me needed others to tell me how to interview; the present me has begun to have the ability to get to know a company through interviews and even judge whether I want to become a part of it.

After going through several jobs and reaching the age of thirty, I have finally come to slowly understand that growth may not be about knowing everything, but about gaining the ability to ask questions I didn't know how to ask before.