How’d the Interview Go? It All Depends On How Well You Met the Employer’s Needs

If you’re getting close…but not sealing the deal in your job interviews, you can learn a lot by figuring out what the employer really wants.

When evaluating how well the job interview went, don’t think about it from YOUR perspective. Your perspective doesn’t translate into a hill of beans relative to the employer’s perspective.

Here’s what I mean.

Many times when I talk to clients and ask how the interview went, they’ll tell me about how great the job was, the location was perfect for them, the employer seemed to like them, etc.

None of that means anything. Trust me. As a hiring manager-and the one making the decision if you’ll get that job-I can “seem” to like anyone, but I wouldn’t hire them to work with me 40 hours a week for the next 5 years. And I might genuinely like someone, but I may not think they’re really able to do the job. There’s a difference.

You need to figure out what the company really wants, and then how you fit with their ideal candidate. That’s all that matters. They couldn’t care less that it’s what you want or is a great commute for you. That won’t determine if they make you an offer.

They will make you an offer if you’re the candidate they’ve been looking for, based on the criteria they’ve established for the position.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to ask them, probably three-quarters of the way into the interview (after you’ve established some genuine rapport), either how you’re comparing to what they’re looking for, or how they would describe their ideal candidate or even if they have any concerns about your experience.

I just heard gasp from many of you…WHY would she recommend that we bring up objections? I want interviewers to focus ONLY on how perfect I am!

Well guess what, when you leave, the one of the first things they’re going to discuss are the ways that you’re not a fit–usually after they discuss the ways that you are a fit. But trust me, employers are brutally honest.

Not in a catty-high school way, but the same way you evaluate any major purchase you make in your life. Do you trust the salesperson? Do you think the appliance/car/new roof will live up to your expectations? Now that you’ve looked at a few products-exactly what ARE your expectations? They’re evaluating “purchasing” you.

So the worst thing you can do is leave without figuring out exactly what they want, because then you’ll have no idea if you come close to being that, and that’s your goal. You need to get a handle on how you compare, and address their concerns while you’re still in the room to address them and clarify some points they may have missed in your background.

Objections do not mean GAME OVER. They mean: convince me or clarify for me some points I may be missing, and then we can proceed.

THEN you’ll really understand how well an interview went and what the likely outcome will be. And honestly, as a hiring manager, I tend to like those candidates more because I was able to have an honest conversation with them. They may not end up being a fit for my needs, but I will go out of my way to help them connect with someone who may need them.

And if you don’t get the job…you could still walk away with some really warm prospects for an even cooler opportunity.

Now, let’s go get some jobs!

Melanie Szlucha’s company Red Inc. Helps candidates stand out from the crowd–in a good way. Follow her on Twitter or check out her website.