Every time you have a job interview, remember that not all HR officers and managers will treat you fairly and respectfully, so you have to expect everything, no matter the size or reputation of the company. Ideally, the HR officer should be friendly, welcoming, respectful, and value the candidate, possess high communication skills, have an excellent work ethic, and act as a leader. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as there are people in positions they don’t belong to.

So, here are some of the scenarios and personalities you may encounter when dealing with managers and HR officers during job interviews:

1. The arrogant: Expect this person to never give you value or show respect, and to spend the interview talking about themselves, how they are better than others in the company and better than you. They will never care what you may offer the company and may even ask you personal and non-professional questions such as:

• Are you single?

• What is your religion?

• Do you have any disabilities?

• Which political party do you support?

• What are your weekend plans?

2. The autocratic and aggressive: Expect this person to be hot-tempered, irritable, to ask you to leave, or to yell at you if you make a mistake or give a wrong answer during a job interview.

3. The diplomat: This is the ideal character who has the acceptable qualities we mentioned earlier. This person will greet you appropriately, show you respect, ask you basic, standard questions, and ask you if you have any comments before you leave. You will feel that the interview went smoothly and well.

4. The indifferent: This person will show you that they don’t care about the company at all, and they may be late for the interview without any apology. Expect them to act as if things were not their responsibility, at a time when they are responsible for many things.

5. The fun: The fun personality is one of the personalities that everyone loves to work with. But in a position such as the human resources officer or manager, the funny character can turn into a nightmare, as the person may not take the job interview seriously, and turn it into a comedic session. If you feel like you need to laugh, this may help a little, but it won't help in the long run if the boss doesn't know how and when to be funny.

In summary, no matter what happens in a job interview, don’t overreact, even if you are not at fault, or you want to defend yourself in an alarming situation. Keep calm, and leave the interview with great respect, to avoid damaging your reputation, and doing things that you may regret later.