Change Your Focus
If you are like most people, your focus tends to be somewhat self-centered. In preparing potential interview questions, this can be disastrous. Your focus must change from internal to a focus on the employer’s needs.
Too many people go into the interview situation focused on “How should I answer each question?” Their attention is on how they can come up with clever…even brilliant answers that will make them look incredibly intelligent. As a result, their answers frequently focus on themselves without thinking through why this question is important to the employer.
Instead, your question to yourself should be “Why is the interviewer asking this question?” Are there specific skills and competencies that are important to the position and to the organization? Are there personal qualities that will create a good fit with their culture? What challenges might they be facing as an organization that cause them to ask a question?
In order to understand why an interviewer might be asking various questions, you need to prepare yourself for the interview in several ways:
- Go to the organization’s website. What can you learn about the organization and their culture from their website? Do their mission and vision provide any insight?
- Research any recent news about the organization. Has anything occurred recently that might give you an understanding of the challenges they are facing?
- Learn everything you can about their customers/clients and competitors.
- Become well versed in the business/field the organization is in. Read all you can find about their niche area.
- If you can, talk with someone who actually works for the organization. They will give you the best possible information about challenges and issues.
