5 Traits You Must Showcase During Every Job Interview

5.  You must show you have a distinct reason to be interviewing for the job.

Many interviewers, including myself, ask interviewees the simple

question, “Why are you interviewing for this job?”  Although it may be

presented in different ways by different interviewers such as “What made you

apply for this job?” “What interested you in this opportunity?,” or “Why are

you here today?,” the bottom line is the same. However, even though this is a

standard question that all interviewees should be prepared to address, I am

amazed by the responses elicited when probing people about why they are sitting

in the chair.  Often times, candidates give the same generic answers such

as growth, stability, and HR logistics.  This is a candidate’s opportunity

to be specific, engaged, and demonstrate to the interviewer they are passionate

about the position.  

The fact is, it does not matter whether it is an administrative position or a C-Suite

position; the answer to this question should be specific to both the company and the job.

Regardless of the position, companies are seeking out exciting,

passionate, and highly engaged individuals.  Interviewees who are merely

looking for a place “that has growth opportunities, where they can see

themselves for the long haul, and where they can come in, work hard and then

leave” are NOT quality candidates in today’s competitive marketplace.  If

I were interviewing someone for a job in sales at Google and asked the question,

“Why do you want this position?,”  I would not want to hear, “I have been

in sales for 15 years and want to work for a stable company to provide for my

family and not have to worry.”  This is a 1990s answer that is surface

level and doesn’t cut it anymore.  I would be looking to hear something to

the effect of, “Google is changing the world every day.  I could interview

at many organizations that have sales teams.  However, I want to bring my

knowledge and expertise to this culture that can make a difference in the world

on a regular basis.”   The response has to be genuine, of course, and

appeal to today’s complex marketplace that requires companies to build teams of

people that are engaged, passionate, and motivated by a purpose other than their

own self interests.  

Another common yet unacceptable answer to the question is, “I’m

always looking for great opportunities, and wanted to learn more about this one

in particular.”  This is a typical response of those who have been brought

into the interview by executive recruiters, or who believe they are great

candidates for the opportunity.  It is also the kind of answer that

interviewees use as a tactic to turn the tables so that the interviewer is now

chasing the interviewee vs. the interviewee chasing the job.  The answer

is disingenuous and does not separate you from the competition.  There is

nothing specific to why you want the job or why you want to work at the

company.  If you are just a “tire kicker” that just likes to know what

opportunities are out there, then you have wasted the interviewer’s time.

 Furthermore, if you don’t have a true interest in the position and are

not engaged, it will be apparent immediately, and you will set yourself back in

the interview process.

HAVE A GREAT REASON TO BE IN THAT INTERVIEWEE

CHAIR!

                                                        

4.  You must show that you have the ability to make a decision.  

Whether you are interviewing for an administrative role, entry

level position, or C-Suite level job, you need to convey that you have the

ability to make a decision.  Companies today are getting more and more

efficient with their allocation of human capital.  Productive

organizations use technology to leverage their teams, and even the most mammoth

companies are trying to figure out how to do more with less people.  The employees

usually need to be able to operate autonomously and have to be able to make a

decision. For example, one might be expected to make the critical call about

whether to spend the extra $1,000,000 to make a large deal happen.  Even

the most entry level positions are required to make decisions.  For

example, one might be in charge of ordering paper for an organization such as

Staples when a situation arises in which the company runs out of paper.

 The employee should be able to make a decision to order the paper

from another vendor without seeking guidance on this decision making process.

 Even though every company has policies and standard procedures that

outline what happens in certain scenarios, every employee ends up in a

situation, such as the ones named above, where a decision needs to be made

without a clear path from a company handbook, supervisor, or colleague.

 If you constantly have to ask what to do in every scenario when not

explicitly outlined you are going to struggle in today’s marketplace.  

Most interviewers ask some sort of question about what a potential

employer might do in a certain scenario. My least favorite answer in an

interview, “it depends,” is one that projects the inability to make a decision.

 Most times, you don’t have all the facts and the question is usually open

ended.  Neither the number of facts nor that the question is open ended

matter. In fact, the answer itself isn’t even the most important part about the

response, but rather, that you address the question directly; that you make a

decision instead of dancing around the subject.  Albeit, if your answer is

malicious, disrespectful, or a lie then it matters.  It is important to

show that you have decision making ability and a clear-cut opinion.  “It

depends” is a cop out to a tough question.  It is a way to appease both

sides without actually answering the question.  Every employee in every

culture will be confronted with a tough decision at some point or another.

 When that time comes knocking, you must be able to make a decision.

 Indecision is not a lack of prudence.  Prudence is smart for all

businesses, but indecision is the catalyst that sets most companies in a

downward spiral.  

MAKE CERTAIN TO SHOW THE INTERVIEWER THAT YOU

CAN MAKE A DECISION!

 

3.  You must show that you have the desire and ability to learn.  

In today’s fast paced, challenging, and ever changing economy, no

organization can afford to hire a know it all.  I have actually had

candidates tell me they know everything about the job and could do it in their

sleep.  You definitely need to be able to show the interviewer that you

can add value to the organization, but you also have to be humble enough to

understand that there is always more to learn.  Today’s employees must be

constantly growing and learning for companies to succeed today.  As an

interviewee, you need to show that you have a desire to grow and learn.

 Showing and not telling in the interview process is critical.  I

often ask interviewees, “What is the last book you read?”  If they respond

with a guilty pleasure read such as Harry Potter, that is ok, and I’ll

often ask, “What is the last industry book you read?”  If you are sincere

about growing and learning in your field, you should be able to rattle off a

list of recent readings that would impress any interviewer.  If it isn’t a

book, then I hope you have a mentor, or have attended recent industry

networking events on your own time.  SOMETHING!  You must show the

interviewer that you want to grow and learn and not just tell them.  Today’s

employers do not have time for complacency.  Complacency sits in the chair

next to indecision as another foot kicking companies into a downward spiral

toward failure.  No group can afford to hire complacent individuals.  

Quality interviewers are going to dig into not only your desire to

learn, but also your capacity to learn.  One of my favorite interview

questions is, “What are the three things you learned at your last job that you

didn’t know before?”  You should have the ability to take lessons you learned

along the way in your career and apply them to your next opportunity.

 Even if the concepts you learned are not necessarily relevant to the

position you are applying for, it shows a capacity to learn.  Companies

invest time and dollars in growth for employees, so you must demonstrate in the

interview process that this is time and money well spent.  

YOU MUST SHOW THE INTERVIEWER YOUR DESIRE AND

ABILITY TO LEARN!

 

2.  You must show that you truly are a team player.

The jury is back in and companies have decided that teamwork is

critical to their success.  The old military adage of “two is one and one

is none” holds water according to most of the world’s organizations.

 Clearly, companies have bought into the belief that teamwork is key

because they are re-creating office spaces to facilitate teamwork, encouraging

departmental gatherings, hosting offsite socials, etc. As a result, throughout

the interview process, you have to show that you are an ideal team player. In

order to secure the position, you have to demonstrate how you will put the

team’s interests before your own, you have to display that you have the social

intelligence to work well with others, you have to show that you are willing to

take on more responsibility, and take care of your neighbor when you are called

upon to do so.  

The key though, however, is to show not tell. At some

point during the interview process, a candidate will unequivocally say, “I’m a

good team player.” My immediate response to that question is, “Define what a

good team player is in your own words and then give me an example of how you

demonstrate that you are an ideal team player.”

Given the current team-driven culture of companies, there is no

place for the selfish, egotistical, and those looking for others to carry the

weight of the team.  Companies need and desire employees that will help

elevate others and not bring them down.  You need to ensure that you don’t

just say this in the interview, but demonstrate that you are the ideal team

player.  

 

1. You must show that you can add value to specific role in the

organization.  

One of the more surprising observations I have made in the last

few years, in particular after interviewing millennials, is how many times I

leave the room, uncertain of the value a candidate can bring to the

organization.  I find that today’s candidates want to know about company

growth, job growth, stability, hours, logistics, etc.  These are all facts

that the company can provide the interviewee, yet much of that information can

typically be found through preparation for the interview. During those limited

yet critical minutes,  there should be equal if not more time spent

discussing what value the interviewee can bring the company rather than what

the company can do for the interviewee. Interviewees should focus on why and

how they believe they can add value. In order to impress potential employers,

you must offer concrete examples of how you exude the intangibles the position

calls for and reference specific experiences that you deem are relevant to the

position you are applying for.  To that end, today’s interviewees need to

do much more homework than those of generations before them.  Interviewees

should be going above and beyond during the research process prior to the interview.

 If the interviewee does not do an inordinate amount of homework, how can

they exude what value they might be able to bring?  If they don’t do

homework, then they are merely shooting in the dark. You need to go into an

interview knowing everything about the company culture you could possibly find

from talking to people, researching online, and reading.  You also need to

discover everything you can about that position and what other people at

competitive companies do in that position. It is only then that you will have

enough information to show the interviewer how you can add value.  The

interviewer can tell when the interviewee has not done enough homework because

they are vague and not specific in any way with respect to what they can bring

to the table.  They also might be trying to sell the interviewer on skills

that are not on topic for the position.  You should be able to walk

confidently into an interview and, no matter what direction the interviewer

takes the interview, be able to provide a plethora of examples of how you can

add value to the organization you are applying to work at.  To test how

well the interviewee is going to be at articulating the value they can provide

the organization, I often ask the simple question, “What did you do to prepare

for this interview?”  If they are not a true industry veteran and their

answer is, “I perused the company website,” I’m pretty certain it will be hard

for them to express how much value they can bring to the table.  If they

are an industry veteran and their answer is, “peruse the company website,” then

it demonstrates they are not that hungry for the job opportunity.   

PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW AND SET YOURSELF UP

TO SHOW THE INTERVIEWER THAT YOU CAN BE A VALUABLE ASSET.