What interviewers are thinking

In more successful interviews, the hiring manager says very little and the candidate does most of the talking. While they will prompt you along the way with key questions, there’s a strong chance many of their queries might never be raised. So how can you read between the lines and ensure all their questions are answered? Try considering the below in your interview prep.

1. Can you do the job?

This, of course, is what it all comes down to and it’s incredibly important for both of you to know the answer as early as possible. That said, it’s only through asking a series of carefully constructed situational and behavioural interview questions that the interviewer will be able to determine the extent of your abilities and breadth of skills. At every conceivable opportunity, you should elaborate on your relevant experience and transferable skillset.

Only by going into the detail of how and why you’ve performed well in the past, will you be able to convince an interviewer of your likelihood to succeed in the future. Tell stories about your previous career experiences so that they might draw insight from your answers.

2. Will you work well with the team?

Skills and previous experience are important but, arguably, a similar weighting should be given to your personality type and how you might fit into the existing team culture. How can an interviewer determine if you’re likely to be a good fit? Ultimately there are no guarantees, but there are a few ways you can prompt their decision-making.

Try weaving into your responses the effectiveness of your communication style, approach to team work, strong work ethic and problem-solving abilities.

3. How long are you likely to stay in this role?

While most hiring managers will support your desire to progress in your career (particularly if it’s within their company), they will equally want to know that you’ll be able to positively contribute to the role, team and business in the capacity of the role for which you’re applying.

Alleviate their concerns by explaining the advantages the move will present to your career as well as the learnings you hope to take away from it.

4. Do you really understand what the job involves?

In other words, if you knew what you were letting yourself in for, would you still want it? To demonstrate your understanding, conduct thorough background research. Speak to your recruiter ahead of the interview to gain as much insight as possible from them. They should have taken a thorough brief from the client when they discussed the role, and may have placed previous candidates in the business too. Research your interviewers and other team members on LinkedIn and online. Check if the business has been in the news lately or if there is anything publicly available about future plans.

Your questions to the interviewer should reflect this research and will pay serious dividends when it comes to impressing them.

5. Can you hit the ground running?

While most interviewers will say that they’re quite happy to accommodate a certain amount of learning and growth (of course), being able to jump straight in without much handholding is the dream for most hiring managers. Assuming a quiet air of confidence in your interview will assure them of your ability to get cracking with minimum fuss.

If you’d like to register with Tiger for your next dream role, get in touch today.

Author David Morel Tiger Recruitment Team