Recent Ask the Recruiter Question

What do you do to put the interviewer at ease when you’re 15 years older than them?



One of the first things we recruiters will tell you needs to happen in an interview is to create commonality.

Obviously, if there is a large age difference, you have to look elsewhere for commonality.

Any signs of hobbies, children, schools???? If you don’t know or can’t tell by the personal items in the room, skip this. You should also ask plenty of questions about themselves. That alone, usually builds repoire. People are usually at ease talking about themselves. Transition that into this question:


What can I do walking in the door to help you and this department be successful meeting your goals? (or some version of that).


Other than that, make sure you do not take the “been there, done that” approach to an interview. Interviewers in general want to think that their opportunity is fresh and exciting and nothing dampers the mood more than the know it all. Play up your enjoyment of learning new things and don’t go into the interview that your experience outweighs the interviewer.

Also, make sure you bring up the fact you are comfortable with technology (the younger generations rely on it a lot)
and use examples, sparingly of course, of your ability to work in a diverse setting including different generations.


On a personal note, my father tells a story of interviewing once with a very short guy (My father is 6’3). He had to look down to shake hands and figured that wasn’t a good start. On the way to his chair, he had is briefcase open up and papers fly. He had to get down and pick it all up which in its own way, leveled the playing field and made his interviewer at ease. He got offered the job.