People often ask me “Where would be a good place to learn interview technique? I want to be confident when I hire someone based on their interview.”
Well – the answer is obvious… If you want a good place to learn interview technique, just go straight to The Good Place?
This NBC comedy has a broad set of characters who personify some of the best… and worst… traits that hiring managers (and headhunters) come across every day.
So, which of these have you interviewed?
1. The Eleanor Shellstrop

Who else would be unprepared, and ready to wing it? This is the type of applicant who doesn’t really know much about the company and doesn’t bother to ask. She improvises a lot of answers along the way if she isn’t lying their way into the Good Place. It would take a well-written character arc for her to be the perfect fit for the job and few hiring managers will give her all four seasons to achieve that. She’ll only get a pilot.
2. The Tahani Al Jamil

Perfectly dressed, knows everyone worth knowing – even people you haven’t met – and has already accepted the job despite the fact that it hasn’t even been offered yet. This overconfident applicant will answer every question without hesitation in the perfect airy manner that equally compliments and patronizes. She knows she is the best fit – if not the only fit –for the job, and just waits for everyone else to catch up. She also gets bonus points if she can actually do what she claims she can do, once she gets hired.
3. The Jason Mendoza
They don’t intend to be this likeable, but you like them all the same. He is the guy who makes you laugh and expect to be a huge success despite the fact they haven’t really shown you anything of importance since you started talking. You’ll hire them, love hanging out with them and make excuse after excuse for them before reluctantly – and oh, so unexpectedly – firing them. But hey – how could you not fall for them? They’re just so…charismatic.
4. The Chidi Anagonye
This applicant is a career- learner. A student of life. The thing about life though, is it never ends (well, until it does and you go to The Good Place!) You won’t be able to take just ONE look at a Chidi’s resume, the almost endless list of qualifications, accolades and achievements simply demand a second read. Conversations with a Chidi are deep and meaningful and will definitely be philosophical. A Chidi is intelligent (probably too intelligent and never stops thinking), comes from a great university (probably still in his doctorate working on a profound thesis), and has a good moral code, however he may agonize over every single decision… Too good a morale code can be too good to be true.
5. Bonus applicant: The Kamilah Al Jamil
This candidate is great at everything she pursues, but might not be a great teammate. Kamila is not an achiever, but an overachiever. There’s really not much to say after that, since her resume has everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. Unhealthy competition might ensue, and she is likely to upset as many people as she impresses. If you value company culture over personal performance, then Kamilah may be the worst hiring mistake of all – you are most likely to hire her for what she can deliver, but at what cost to the rest of the company?
So – next time you are interviewing someone, remember: candidates who may have come from The Good Place are unlikely to make your company the best place!
Want to learn great interview technique? Learn how leading CEOs hire top performers… Download our FREE guide here!
Want to take action now? Schedule a call with us!