During the typical job
interview, you'll be peppered with many interview
questions. But do you really understand what the interviewer needs
to know?
"Most
[candidates] have no idea why a recruiter asks a particular question,"
says Brad Karsh, a former recruiting professional for advertising giant Leo
Burnett and current president of career consulting firm Job Bound. "They
tend to think it's a competition to outwit the interviewer."
The
reality is that employers have neither the time nor inclination to play games
with you, especially when hiring. Your interviewer is not trying to outguess
you -- he's trying to assess your answers to six key questions:
Do
You Have the Skills to Do the Job?
According
to Karsh, the employer must first determine whether you have the necessary hard
skills for the position, e.g., the programming knowledge for a database
administration job or the writing chops to be a newspaper reporter. "By
really probing into what the
candidate has done in the past, an interviewer can tap into hard
skills."
Jobs of the 21st century require computer skills to perfect digitally in the profession and to easily promote the services and product of the profession. These skills is perfected at early code.
Jobs of the 21st century require computer skills to perfect digitally in the profession and to easily promote the services and product of the profession. These skills is perfected at early code.
But the
interviewer is also looking for key soft skills
you'll need to succeed in the job and organization, such as the ability to work
well on teams or "the requisite common sense to figure things out with
some basic training," says Terese Corey Blanck, director of student
development at internship company Student Experience and a partner in College
to Career, a consulting firm.
Do
You Fit?
"Every
organization's first thought is about fit
and potentially fit in a certain department," Corey Blanck says. That
means the interviewer is trying to pinpoint not only whether you match up well
with both the company's and department's activities but also whether you'll
complement the talents of your potential coworkers.
Do
You Understand the Company and Its Purpose?
If the
organization fits well with your career aspirations, you'll naturally be
motivated to do good work there -- and stay more than a month or two, Corey
Blanck reasons. "I don't want someone to take the position because it's a
job and it fits their skills," she says. "I want them to be excited
about our mission and what we do."
How
Do You Stack Up Against the Competition?
You're
being evaluated in relation to other candidates for the job. In other words,
this test is graded on a curve. So the interviewer will constantly be comparing
your performance with that of the other candidates'.
Do
You Have the Right Mind-Set for the Job and Company?
"I'm
always looking for someone who has a can-do type of attitude," Corey
Blanck explains. "I want someone who wants to be challenged and is
internally motivated
to do well.
Corey
Blanck points out that an employer can't train for this essential trait.
"But you can hire for it," she says. "And if you don't, you'll
end up with a lower-performing employee."
Do
You Want the Job?
Most
employers know better than to believe everyone they interview actually wants
the position being offered. They understand some candidates are exploring their
options, while others are using an interview with a company they don't care
about to hone their interview skills.
So you
have to prove you
really want the job, says Al Pollard, senior college recruiter for
Countrywide Financial. "I use the ditch-digger analogy," he says.
"Many of us can dig ditches, but few are willing to -- and even fewer want
to."
by Peter Vogt,
Monster Senior Contributing Writer