The Right Stuff

From both perspectives, questions are the basis of job interviews

If you’re normal, you go into a job interview with a lot of questions on your mind. These can range from salary to benefits, from responsibilities to reporting hierarchy… to 101 other

things.

Doesn’t it sound logical then that the person interviewing you has questions as well? And isn’t it logical also that, if you keep those questions in mind and prepare for them appropriately, that you’ll be that much further along in the process? The answer would seem to be an emphatic “yes!”

What I’d like to know is

What do you think is utmost in the mind of the hiring manager? You can speculate as to qualifications, performance, background, skills and the like. But let’s step back for a moment. What do they really want to know?

Here’s a thought: How can you make them look good? How can you make them look like they selected the right person for the job?

If they have a habit of passing through candidates who are unqualified or who just aren’t right for the position, rest assured, this will reflect badly on them. Maybe what they really want (or need) to know is: Are you the right and safe choice? If you can answer those two simple questions affirmatively, you will make them look good. And, in the end, that’s their primary goal – making themselves look good.

What will make you the right and safe choice in their eyes? What’s most important in this position? For this job, is experience more important than current skills – or vice versa? Is market or industry experience more important than specific job skills? Do you really need to be skilled in AI to be successful in this job?

Does the fact that you come highly recommended (maybe even recommended by a current employee) outweigh someone else’s stronger background?

Maybe you won’t know the precise answers to these questions, but you’ll greatly enhance your chances if you are mindful of them, prepare for them, and answer them confidently.

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