8 Interview Secrets Employers Won’t Tell You

Have you been asked to interview for a job? Congratulations!

As you prepare, don’t forget to consider the hiring process from the perspective of the employer. You’ll be a much stronger candidate if you remember that a company has a set of problems that you may be ideally suited to solve.

As you sit down for your job interview, one or more of the following unspoken eight topics are likely to be on an employer’s mind:

1. Who you know matters

People hire people they know or who are recommended by people they trust. Look for and highlight connections to communities you share. Building this kind of rapport makes a manager more comfortable with you.

2. Culture fit trumps expertise

Being the smartest person in the room isn’t enough to land the job. Employers are putting personality traits ahead of technical skills, so look for ways to show how you understand and fit into a company’s culture.

3. I needed someone two months ago

A hiring process can be like a home remodel project: it often takes twice as long as planned.  As a result, employers may be in a hurry to make up for lost time.

4. The work is piling up

Whether a job is a new or an old position it exists because it meets a need. In other words, important tasks, some now perhaps urgent, aren’t being completed and clients may be dissatisfied.

5. My staff is unhappy doing two jobs

Only so much work can be postponed. In the meantime, current staff–perhaps already stretched thin—has to plug the gap, adding more pressure to hire sooner rather than later.

6. The field of candidates is small

Yes, hundreds of people may have applied. Don’t let those odds intimidate you, however. Those applicants aren’t in the running anymore.

7. I’m ready to negotiate

Got a job offer? Congratulations! You don’t have to accept the first proposal. Be reasonable, of course, but employers expect you to negotiate on salary, benefits, and other issues.

8. There’s someone waiting in the wings

Don’t assume an offer means there is no option but to hire you. There’s almost always a runner-up, sometimes two. Do your homework ahead of time so you can close the deal!