Page 25 - 101 Dynamite Answers to Interview Questions

18 Nail the Job Interview!

of the interview. These are variables which will both grow out of and
affect the goals of both you and the interviewer. They will have an
important impact on the outcome of the interview that goes far beyond
the content of interview questions and answers.

Interviewer Goals and Expectations

The interviewer expects that an applicant who is invited to an interview
will be at his best - both in appearance and behavior. You will have
conducted basic research on the company and will be able to both answer
and ask questions that relate to your slulls and goals as they relate to the
job under consideration.
The interviewer has certain goals she must achieve through the
interview process. She will control many of the variables affecting the
interview situation in order to achieve those goals. First, the interviewer
looks for indicators of the applicant’s expertise and competence - your
skulls, laowledge, and abilities as they relate to the job. Since your
education and past work experience are factors that would have been
apparent on your resume, you have met the basic requirements for
consideration for the position or you wouldn’t have been invited to the
interview. But now the employer wants specifics that go beyond the
degrees earned, jobs held, and duties performed - specifics that indicate
what you can do for the employer in her organization.
Second, the interviewer is interested in indicators of the applicant’s
motivation. Expertise is an important consideration, but your drive and
energy may be what set you apart from others and give you an edge in the
hiring process. The employer wants to know about your development
potential. Are you motivated to learn new skulls and do new things?
Third, your interpersonal slcills also are of concern. Someone who
can do the job, but doesn’t fit into the work setting, isn’t a valuable
employee. Your ability to get along with co-workers is not always easy to
discern, but something the interviewer will be trying to assess. How well
do you tale supervision? Are you able to follow orders from those in
positions to direct you? And if you are hired in a track that may lead to
your becoming a supervisor, your leadership skulls will also be important.
Fourth, the applicant’s decision-making and problem-solving
abilities will be important for many positions. How well are you able to
deal with an out-of-the-ordinary situation you may encounter on the job?