Strange as it may seem, I believe that you’re not the main focus of an interviewer’s attention during a job interview. In the conventional model of interviews, the firm has a job to fill, you want the job, and the interviewer’s role is to decide whether you’re the right fit.
That said, something I always emphasise with my clients is that, fundamentally, this is not a useful way for candidates to frame the interview process.
Let’s unpack this a little and see what useful insights we can gain.
The current model
A recruiter or hiring manager approaches you because they believe you may have the right skills, experience and attributes to take on a role they have in mind. At this stage, your understanding of exactly what they want you to do is likely to be limited, particularly in the early stages of the process.
During the interview, it’s all too easy for the conversation to turn into a Q&A session. Time is limited, which means there’s little opportunity for the candidate to ask questions about the role, let alone explore the issues behind it in greater depth.
The interviewer makes an assessment of your suitability, while your ability to influence the outcome is largely limited to the quality of your answers. Often, there’s little meaningful dialogue, and the candidate remains in the dark about what lies behind the questions being asked.
So, when you hear a question such as, “Please tell me about yourself,” the interviewer is not necessarily interested in you as an individual — at least, not in the way you might imagine. They are filtering your answer for clues about your motivation, suitability and potential value to the firm.
The same applies to the question, “What are your career ambitions?” The interviewer wants to establish whether yo'u’re likely to approach the role with enthusiasm and remain in it for as long as the firm needs you.
Ultimately, the questions are designed to establish two things:
Can you do the job we need you to do, and
Will you do it?
Who has the problem?
Let’s remember that the primary reason a firm wants to hire someone is that it has a business problem to solve or an opportunity to pursue. For example:
Filling a gap in the value chain. You may be a skilled practitioner, such as a trader, an analyst or someone who executes M&A deals. The firm needs someone to fill a gap in its existing team or structure and get on with the job.
Building or expanding a business. The firm may be launching a new initiative or expanding an existing one. It needs someone who can contribute to getting the initiative off the ground and driving its growth.
Providing leadership and direction. The firm may recognise that a business unit needs your vision, strategic thinking, planning capabilities and leadership to address its challenges or fulfil its potential.
In all of these examples, the firm has something it needs to resolve or achieve, and you may well be the solution. The consequences of getting the appointment right — or wrong — can be commercially significant. That’s why the hiring decision matters so much.
The Candidate’s Perspective
If you’re conducting a job search and going through an interview process with a particular firm, it’s vital to understand why the firm is looking to hire. This means looking beyond the surface-level explanations that an interviewer may readily offer.
There are three principal reasons why this matters:
You can make a more informed decision. By developing a clearer understanding of the underlying reasons for the hire, you can conduct your due diligence and reach a considered conclusion about whether this is a situation you genuinely want to be part of.
You can give more relevant and compelling answers. A deeper understanding of the firm's needs enables you to select examples that demonstrate how your skills and experience can help solve the specific business problems it faces.
You may uncover issues that the firm has not fully recognised. As you explore the situation, you may identify business challenges or opportunities that the hiring firm is not yet aware of, or has only vaguely recognised. This can enable you to bring additional value to the conversation.
Interview skills: space to shine
The challenge is to move beyond a question-and-answer interrogation towards a conversation between professionals. The aim is to understand the business issue at hand and assess whether you’re the right person to address it.
This shift may not always be easy, or even possible, given the interviewer’s style and the constraints of the process. Nevertheless, it’s worth pursuing.
Turning an interview into a genuine conversation requires specific skills and techniques, which we teach and practise during our coaching sessions. Broadly speaking, the key is to establish a warm, open dialogue built on strong rapport with the interviewer.
Closing thoughts
If you can get to the heart of why the firm is hiring, understand the commercial consequences of getting the appointment right or wrong, and — crucially — discover how the interviewer believes the business problem should be solved, you’ll be in a much stronger position. You’ll also be better equipped to assess whether the opportunity is right for you, tailor your answers to the firm's real needs and demonstrate the value you could bring. In doing so, you may not only perform very well in the interview but also distinguish yourself from the other candidates.
If you’d like to discuss how we can help you excel in interviews, let’s talk. Use this link to book a free, no-strings-attached call where we’ll see if we can help you transform your interview performance.