What do Interviewers look for in an Interview?

Interviews are daunting and there is no doubt about that. Even if you have fully prepared yourself by researching both the job and the company, nerves can still set in. You strive to sell yourself as the best person for the role by laying out your experiences, capabilities and skills to prove that you are the right person for the job.

However, the big question at the back of every interviewee’s mind is “What are the interviewers looking for?” and how you can impress them?

Knowing what these questions are can help you make sure that you tick all their boxes. Letting you leave that interview knowing that you are in the running for that role.

What are the most common questions?

You are in the middle of an interview and answering all the questions being asked as best as you can. What about these unspoken questions? What are they trying to look for in your answers? Below we have compiled a list of potential questions/thoughts that the interviewer has.

1. Did you actually answer the questions that I have asked?

It is common knowledge that before you attend an interview you prep answers for common questions and rehearse how you would answer them. The issue here is that you could begin regurgitating one of your answers to try and make it fit the question. Resulting in you maybe not actually answering the question asked.

Overly prepared questions can come across as quite robotic and lack any human touch/personality. The aim when answering questions is to try and connect with the interviewer and make sure your answers sound natural and flow well.

2. Do you have reasonable expectations?

Interviewers are looking to hire employees that have values that match that of the company and blend well with the job role. Not only this but they are looking for employees that help create a positive work dynamic. If you come across as too boisterous or expect to progress faster than is viable in that role, they may question whether the role suits you.

Make sure that you have gathered as much knowledge as you could about the role before your interview. This will help both you and the interviewer know if this job is a good match. It will also prove whether or not the job meets your expectations for the role.

3. Are you a problem solver?

The interviewer is looking for someone that can solve problems. When giving your answers remember not to be overconfident as this could put the interviewer off you as you appear to be trying too hard. Always remember to make your examples relatable and ensure that they answer the question asked.

4. Know who you are and what you truly think.

The ideal scenario in an interview is to have a good flowing conversation with the interviewer as it will help you feel more natural. This will show them that you know what you want and where you want to go. However, nerves can take over in an interview environment and over prepared answers can come across as robotic and not reflect you as a person.

5. Are you high maintenance?

Avoid asking too many questions or raising too many complaints/concerns pre-interview as you may come across as too high-maintenance and difficult to deal with. It is off-putting to the interviewer as no one wants to have to deal with a difficult candidate, which in turn could lose you the chance of getting the job.

Save any questions you have for the interview as this is partly what the process is there for. It will help not only the interviewer get to know you but also allow you to get the know the company and the role.

6. What is your body language telling the interviewer?

Body language is easy to read. Interviewers can pick up on bad body language such as slouching, fidgeting, scratching and rubbing. This could lead to you not being considered for a second interview or the job.

The key is to be as natural as possible in the interview. You need to show the interviewer your personality and how you will fit in with their company. For more tips on body language in interviews click here.

7. Do you understand the job you are interviewing for?

Have you studied the job description and know exactly what the job entails? When applying for a job, you should know what it entails, and the interviewer will know if you haven’t read the description and haven’t understood it.

8. Have you researched the company?

Researching the job is only half the battle. Interviewers are also looking for someone who has researched the company too. Key areas to research are, the overall business, their history and culture and their missions and goals. For more information on researching a company click here.

9. Do you have the skills for this job?

Having researched the job description, you can easily show the interviewer how your skills match those of the job you are applying for. You can also prepare answers for each of the skills to use in the interviewer’s questions as you would have researched the skills as listed in the job description before the interview.

10. Would they like to work with you on a daily basis?

This is one of the main answers that the interviewer is looking for. They are trying to assess whether you would be a positive addition to their company, and can you carry your fair share of the workload? Do you work well in a team? Can they trust and rely on you? These are all questions that the interviewer wants answers to from your interview.

If you can answer all these questions for the interviewer, then you are in the running for the job! If you would like more advice on interviews and interviewers, contact the Abacus Careers Team on 028 9031 3157 | [email protected]