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I. What Are Employers Really Looking for in the Job Interview?

The winning interview technique requires a thorough understanding of the conscious as well as the subconscious things employers are looking for when they interview candidates. How well you do in the interview will depend on how well you meet the tangible as well as intangible criteria when compared to other candidates.

A. The employer looks for qualifications first. The employer looks for a a person who is technically qualified to do the job. He looks thoroughly as he must in this direction. If he is looking for a skilled process technican for his moulding floor, for example, you should focus on your abilities as a skilled process technican. It won’t do any good to dwell on what a marvelous supervisor you are if the employer is looking for a skilled process technican. You must focus on the employer’s wants and needs.
       Qualifications are what the employer is consciously looking for. Remember, there will be more than one candidate who meets this first test. Therefore, the things the employer is subconsciously looking for become as important as qualifications; perhaps even more important. Remember, appearing overqualified is as deadly as appearing under-qualified.

B. The employer looks for an optimistic and positive attitude. The employer looks for optimistic statements and positive reactions to his questions. Pessimism and negativism never win a job offer for anyone. The idea in interviewing is to elaborate on those things that you can discuss optimistically. It is not necessary to fake it. Nothing is more obvious than phony or superficial enthusiasm. However, if you are optimistic and positive about any facet of the position, don’t fail to show it.

C. The employer looks for an interest in the company and the position. If you like the employer’s products; the people he has already hired; the location of the office; or anything else related to the available position; do not be afraid to enthusiastically say so. The employer looks for someone who has a high opinion of the company and the position.
       In other words, the employer is going to hire someone who finds both the work the company does and the position being offered interesting. It is up to you to let the employer know that you’re interested.

D. The employer looks for indications of longevity of service. No employer wants to hire someone who will leave the company after a few months. For this reason, the employer looks, either consciously to subconsciously, for someone who indicates he will stay with the company for a reasonable time.
      The problem with making the proper impression in this very important area is that employers seldom ask direct questions about longevity. Instead, they ask:

"Why are you looking for another position?" or
"What are you looking for in a new position?"

It is important to realize that these questions, or variations on them, are seeking a response that indicates what the prospective employee’s longevity might be. When answering these questions, you must indicate an intention to remain on the job.
If the candidate is not aware of the true nature of the subconscious longevity questions, it may be difficult to answer them in a positive way. These are the very questions that can trip you. There is a simple and effective way to answer these questions that will be satisfactory to the employer. In response, you should:

As an example, you could say:

Employer: "Why are you looking for a new job?"
Candidate: "Well Bill, I’ve enjoyed my years with XYZ Corp. There are a lot of good people there but I’m looking for a more challenging opportunity. I want to be part of a team where I can make a real contribution to the quality and quantity of work performed."

This kind of brief, positive, answer will tell the employer what he wants to hear about your potential longevity. It’s a good way to convey how you tell about the right position with the right company.