Many would have long been employed but because they don’t know what hiring managers look for in an interview, they remain searching.
I don’t mean you’re worthless because you still search for a job.
In today’s economy, companies try so hard to reduce their costs by downsizing. Consequent to that it’s difficult to get a good job.
Seeking for a job has gone beyond contracting your Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume to an expert.
What matters is knowing what hiring managers look for and you are able to give it in both your resume and interview.
What hiring managers look for in a resume is not your qualifications, experience, or skills but the impact you stand to make on their company.
And that has to be demonstrated in five (5) good ways that you’re about to find out in this guide.
No employer wants to employ you and at the end of the day be the one spending money on you to acquire the professional training or skill you need to stay in a job.
Meanwhile, they look for candidates who can make a lot of great impact on their company without incurring additional costs.
They are aware of the possibility of a candidate having all skills and qualifications based on his resume without the ability to deliver as expected of him on the job.
So, if you’re determined to get a good job, you need to have a clear understanding of what hiring managers look for in an interview before your next attempt.
Table of Contents
What hiring managers look for
What do managers look for when hiring people for a job include:
- Precision in your resume
- Precision in your answers
- Perfection in your communication skill
- Pose no threats to the company’s culture
- Your curiosity to learn
All this is reflected in your answers to interview questions related to how long you stayed at your previous jobs, why you left, your flexibility to adapt to a new culture, and what will be your impact on the new company.
So, when the interview begins, ensure you pay so much attention.
The hiring managers use the following qualities to know if you’re the right candidate for the job position.
#1. Precision in your resume
Your resume can discourage the hiring managers from shortlisting you for an interview if it doesn’t specify the position you apply for.
Applying for different job positions with a single resume can make the hiring managers think you’re a gambler who stumbles upon their offer by accident.
If the hiring managers don’t see much link between your resume and the position you apply for, they conclude you’re not aware of what you’re doing.
A resume you designed for the position of an Admin Manager won’t be suitable for the position of Human Resource Manager because each job is position-specific.
You may qualify for both jobs based on your education, acquired skills and experiences. But if the managers see no precision in your resume, you can’t get the job.
For this reason, ensure you design your resume to fit each position specifically.
If you apply for jobs serially, make sure you always submit a position-specific resume.
Before you submit your resume for any job, ensure you read well about the job and tweak your resume to suit the job.
The objectives should be different.
Your previous jobs and positions should be coined to suit the current position. Don’t also forget you have to switch addresses depending on job locations.
#2. Precision in your answers
The elimination process during an interview requires hiring managers to ask you specific questions related to the job position you are applying for.
Take note that you can’t take any of the interview questions for a personal answer. It’s possible not to get a job if you can’t give job-specific answers to job-specific questions.
Based on that, the hiring managers will assume you’re not a professional. That means you lack the intelligence to work with them.
The way you answer questions during an interview says a lot about your desire, drive, and competence for the position.
So, your interviewers expect you to give them specific answers if you’re suitable for the job.
Let’s say they ask you to introduce yourself, don’t say:
Answers like this may be talking about you really, but they have nothing to do with the job, which is the interest of the hiring managers.
No hiring manager is interested in your family background. So, keep that to yourself while you’re in an interview.
Answering whatever questions they ask you should be in a way to makes them feel you have a lot to offer the company.
Just tell them your name, age, marital status, qualifications, professional memberships, previous places of work, positions, and so on.
#3. Perfection in your communication skills
Your communication skills can be tested in different ways. This includes how you design your resume, application letter, cover letter or how you speak and relate during an interview.
Be informed, that what hiring managers look for is to find perfection in the way you speak, write, and listen as they believe that will benefit their company.
So, when you’re preparing for in an interview, try as much as possible to make your resume and application letter free of grammatical errors.
It’s also a problem if you can’t express yourself very well in this circumstance.
All hiring managers want to ensure they hire someone who can write, listen, and interpret information very well. This is how they test your ability to communicate effectively.
If you claim proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, make sure the skill is reflected in how you communicate.
#4. Pose no threats to the company’s culture
Different companies have different cultures that describe them. This is not the culture each employee brings to the company but that which they meet on the ground.
A company’s culture is the core system that works for the company to make all workers work together in harmony regardless of their differences.
Hiring managers don’t consider your skills, years of experience, or qualifications to give you a job if you have other traits that can pose threats to the growth of the company.
What they do is to rather consider the resilience of the company’s culture through your skills.
They want to test your flexibility if you can cope with different situations in the company. These will give them insights into your attitudes to work if they give you the job.
If you give them the impression that you don’t like something about the company, you may not get the job. So, express your flexibility and readiness to adopt a new culture.
#5. Demonstrate intellectual curiosity
The last but not the least of what hiring managers look for in an interview is your curiosity to learn.
Intellectual curiosity presents you as someone who is really ready to grow with a company, not someone who will be employed and leave after a few months.
They want to determine if your interest in the job is just to get a job and earn a salary or to make an impact on the company.
For the managers to know your intentions isn’t difficult at all.
Through your reactions to knowledge acquisition, they know your intentions.
So, if you’re allowed to ask a few questions or say something, make sure you ask questions related to the product or service the organization is into and how the market is performing based on the current economic condition of the nation.
Express your interest and willingness to contribute to the growth of the company.
Conclusion
This guide focuses on what hiring managers look for in an interview. It discusses five major things to watch out for before and during an interview, which I hope will make you have a breakthrough in your next job interview.
Whenever you’re being called upon for an interview somewhere, ensure you prepare very well before you go.
Part of what you need to do is to edit or update your resume and ensure the position you’re applying for is specified. You should double-check check your resume is error-free and also do a little research to know more about the company.
Another thing you need to do is to watch your behaviors, manners, and presentation all through the interview.
Based on what is on your resume, the hiring managers know you’re qualified for the job. So, if they call you for an interview, they only want to meet you in person and know what you can offer the company.
Lastly, you have to know that a job interview is about the company not you.
So, be professional.
