The Purpose of the Interview

Interviewers are looking to answer three questions during the interview process:

• CAN you do the job?
• WILL you do the job?
• Do you FIT in?

In interviews where "CAN you do the job?" is important you will be asked questions about:

• Your skills
• Knowledge
• Experience and accomplishments
• Learning potential
• Handling the physical aspects of the job

In interviews where "WILL you do the job?" is at issue, you will be asked about:

• Your interest in the position, company, industry
• Your work ethic
• Your energy level
• Outside influences that may affect your willingness or availability

In interviews focused on "Do you FIT in?" the interviewer will try to assess:

• Likeability
• Chemistry
• Communication
• Values
• Style (work and management)
• General interests
• Dress and appearance

A strong sense of a solid "FIT" for you within an organization develops more readily when you concentrate your focus on the needs and challenges of the position and company. You orchestrate this focus by asking individual insightful questions, which speak to needs/challenges. Some examples of this type of question are as follows:

• What are the major challenges this position presents over the next six months? The next five years?
• Six months from now, how will you know you have hired the right person?
• How do the goals of this position fit into the overall mission of the organization?
• What kinds of things are going very well in the department/function right now?
• What kinds of things need to be changed?
• What is the highest priority for the individual in this position?
• What are the major responsibilities of this position?
• Tell me about some of the people this position interacts with on a frequent basis?

Once you uncover the needs/challenges of the position, you can tailor your responses and comments during the interview to illustrate your ability to solve the company's specific problems and to achieve the results required for success in the position.

It is important to note that it is never a good idea to ask questions about compensation and benefits during the interview process. You can respond if questioned on these issues; however, it is much more effective to ask questions regarding benefits, etc., after you have an offer.