Comment by halper

Through luck and happenstance, I have rarely needed to look for a job before; I have always come across new opportunities through my network. Usually it has been a recommendation/referral + one or two interviews and then I have received an offer. This has worked for 20 years, but after a relocation I have been searching for my next thing recently, the traditional way. I am now in the situation where I am someone "off the street" instead of someone warmly recommended by a current or former employee. At least where I am looking, the market is definitely not great, and even getting a first reply at all is rare.

During my professional life I have interviewed hundreds of people. Among other things, I have built teams from the ground up, I have managed people remotely across three continents and I sometimes meet up with people I "managed" 15+ years ago who claim that that team was one of the best they ever worked in. But when I sit on the OTHER side of the table, it is evident I am really, really, REALLY rusty: it happens at least a couple of times per interview that my mind basically blanks when I get a question that I should be able to answer. Naturally, as soon as I step out of the interview, my helpful brain provides me with the answers.

I was just thinking, on my morning walk today, that I should be looking for someone who may want to inflict a couple of mock interviews upon me...