What Interviewers are Trying to Learn About You

During an interview, the questions hiring managers ask often tell more about an applicant’s aptitude than many job seekers realize. Answers that do not succinctly respond to what the interviewers want to know leave job applicants without a follow-up call. There is often subtext to interview questions that allows the interviewer to learn more about a potential employee and determine if a candidate is a good fit for the position.

A key aspect that interviewers want to learn about the candidate, yet job seekers often ignore, is how the applicant fits into the company culture. Each company has its own distinct organizational style. Some companies are more egalitarian and welcome regular input from employees, while other companies focus on hierarchical delegation. Issues such as age, educational background and out-of-office interests also contribute to how well an employee fits at an organization and often determine an employee’s productivity and the length of time at the company.

Interviewers want to know that job applicants also have an interest in the company and the position. Quality managers spend time cultivating and mentoring employees to increase productivity and company profits. The time these managers spend, however, comes at an opportunity cost to complete their own work. Applicants are a good investment for the company when they genuinely want the position and come to the interview with more than just superficial research on the company. Hiring managers want to know that the applicant already has ideas of how to contribute to the organization.

According to an article in U.S. News and World Report, interviewers want to learn about the quality of an applicant’s work rather than just if the applicant has the knowledge to complete a certain task. An interview tip for job applicants is to sell the impact of previous positions, not just the responsibilities of it. Job seekers need to use the interview as a time to discuss increases in sales and direct contributions to projects.

Even if the position does not have a supervisory role, interviewers want to learn about an applicant’s leadership abilities. Experience in leadership showcases the ability of an applicant to handle stress at work, viability for promotion and the applicant’s work ethic. The leadership style that applicants display also helps interviewers determine how an applicant works as part of a team. An important interview tip is for job applicants that talk about the way in which they encourage and give constructive criticism to employees.

The interview is a reciprocal process for both the employer and the potential employee. Job applicants need to ask questions to determine the culture and style of the organization to determine if the position is a good fit. Interviewers want to learn the input value of a potential applicant, and the potential employee needs to ask questions to determine the potential for career growth and a matching work environment.

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