7 Things an Interviewer Will Look For

When members of my recruitment company were asked what employers look for in job applicants, our sales recruiters took a moment to sit down and began to predict common interview questions that had the highest probability of being touched upon.

However, for this particular exercise, the group took it one step further and began analyzing the situation as if we were the party interviewing rather than the person applying for the job. This opened a whole new world of thought and allowed us to better predict the questions that would be asked as well as clearly define the possible concerns of the interviewer.

While some of what we came up with was speculative, our sales recruiters were able to concretely list 7 things that our headhunters would look for if we were the hiring manager. We then spent time formulating thoughtful answers that would prove useful to job seekers of all levels, in all industries and in all types of work.

After all was said and done, our recruiters came up with 7 concrete things that an interviewer will inevitably look for in a job applicant:

1. Positive energy – In order to be able to sell oneself during an interview effectively, a person needs to be upbeat, energetic and appear as someone who enjoys dealing with others. When we show the interviewer that we like them, they like us right back.

Though, enthusiasm must be sincere or you risk heavily insulting the hiring manager and, thus losing any chance of receiving the job offer. The cheery verbiage must begin from the moment the interviewer gets on the phone and he or she must maintain that demeanor throughout the conversation. There can be no exceptions to this rule.

2. Intelligence and knowledge of that company’s product and / or service – There is no firm rule saying that to be successful someone has to possess a genius IQ, but they should have a fair amount of inherent intelligence which naturally is displayed through free flowing dialogue.

Eventually, our recruiters notice that as the interview goes on, a job applicant’s intellect is further judged when asked about the company’s products and / or services, then scrutinized as to how well they can dictate that answer.

3. Edge – Hiring companies as well as recruiting firms want to talk to potential job applicants who can make the difficult decisions and are able to say “yes” or “no” to a potential client, a co-worker or anyone else. Real leaders have “edge.” They have the ability to make difficult decisions then stick with the decisions they have made.

4. Someone who listens – A significant part of selling oneself during an interview hinders on not “selling” yourself with our mouth. Rather, much of our success hinders on our ability to speak with our ears. At all costs, the interviewer should make sure he or she does not interrupt. Rather, they should be 100% focused and have a pen and paper just in case a great thought comes to mind.

5. Someone who can make the firm money – Interviewers want to hire job seekers who have skills that can directly impact the bottom line of that organization. Prior to going into the meeting, our recruiters suggest that each interviewer write down the skills that they bring to the table and that will be able to be monetized by the employer.

6. Someone who is self-assured, but not arrogant – There is a fine line between being confident in oneself and being overly arrogant. While the former will attract an interviewer or any business development staffing professional, the latter will deter them from passing you on to the next round of interviewing.

All interviewers should know that they don’t have to prove that you are worthy to anyone other then themselves. Still, to ensure that the interviewer does not cross this line, we suggest that the individual be vigilant as to how the interviewer is responding to their demeanor on a personal basis.

7. Someone who is going to make the life of their boss easier – The most sought after employees are the ones who are autonomous and can get a job done without supervision and without taking an abundance of time away from their daily tasks.

Some employees end up sucking so much free time from their manager that their superior begins to have a fall-out with his or her manager. It’s a concern that will be in the back of the hiring manager’s head. Whether this be in sales or any other type of position, the interviewer should make it clear that they don’t have to be micromanaged.

In the End

Running an executive search firm, I have seen some of the best and some of the worst interviewing techniques implemented. All else aside, make sure that you are prepared, optimistic about your chances for success and relaxed….then, our recruiters will bet that you will do just fine.

Thanks & Regards,

"Remember Me When You Raise Your Hand For Dua"
Raheel Ahmed Khan
System Engineer
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