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R. Srajer
What Employers Want to Hear in an Interview
You've managed to get your resume noticed and now you've been invited to an interview. Do you know what employers want to hear in an interview? Countless books have been written on this subject and even more websites have been created in an effort to get you as prepared as possible for this nerve-wracking part of the hiring process. It seems that no matter how much you study and how much you try to anticipate the questions you will be asked during the interview, the interviewer almost always throws a curve that knocks you completely off balance. The truth is, what employers want to hear in an interview is how well you are able to recover from this type of scenario.
Unfortunately, all the priming in the world can't fully prepare you for this unexpected event. Sure, you're likely to be asked the standard interview questions such as, "What are your strengths and weaknesses," and "Give an example of a goal you set and how you achieved that goal." You better have well-thought out answers for these types of general interview questions because they too are good examples of what employers want to hear in an interview.
But interviewers also want to hear how you'll react to unexpected situations once you're hired, which is why they'll always try to knock you off-guard. Pause if you need and think about your answer before giving it. If you're looking for one single piece of valuable job interview advice, it is to always appear confident in yourself and your capabilities. Remember, though, that confidence is not to be confused with arrogance, which in most cases, is an absolute turn-off.
Common Interview Questions:
- Tell me a little about yourself
- Why did you leave your last (or current) job
- What are some of your strengths and weaknesses
- Name some past accomplishments that gave you satisfaction
- Tell me about how you overcame a major obstacle
Now we all know that these questions in and of themselves are most pointless, but HOW you answer them is really the key. The employer is generally looking for hesitation, stammering, or for you to go off on some tangent - the real key is to just not mess up - give confident, pat responses.
When the interview is finally over, you can breathe a sigh of relief. However, you're not completely done yet. There are a few job interview follow up steps you need to take and they're just as important as the interview itself. Before leaving the interview, you need an idea of what's going to happen next and a timeframe within which you can expect it to happen. Don't forget what you are told! In fact, once the interview is over and as soon as you're alone jot down this next step and timeframe. Then proceed only as directed by the interviewer.
Another job interview follow up piece of advice is to immediately handwrite a brief thank you note that you will address and mail to your interviewer. When you consider all the automation involved with interviewing today, a personalized note goes a long way towards making a positive statement about you. This step wont guarantee you'll be offered the job, but it's definitely worth taking time to do.
There's not enough room in this article to tell you everything you need to know about what employers want to hear during an interview and what you should do immediately afterwards, so get yourself a detailed job interview guide that can take you through the steps that will help you land that perfect position!
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