When it comes to hiring new staff, employers have to balance a variety of concerns. Two of these concerns – your skills and experience – are usually answered in your resume which will have told them what they need to know about you in these two areas.
However, there are also other concerns as well, and it is usually during the interview session that these concerns are addressed. Sometimes, these concerns are also addressed when they speak to your references.
One major concern is whether you, as the candidate, can do the job even with your declared skills and experience. For example:
- Can you be productive?
- How long will it take you to start contributing to the company’s objectives?
- Have you done this job before?
- If so, were there problems?
- How did you overcome them and what did you learn from them?
- Would they happen again in this new job?
- If you haven’t done this job before, is there anything to suggest that you can do it and succeed?
Your personality is also a concern to the employer. Questions they’ll want answered include:
- How motivated are you?
- Will you be fully dedicated to your job?
- Will you stay long enough after you are trained?
- Are you a team player?
- Are you a positive influence on others?
- Will you be easy or difficult to manage?
- How will you take direction?
- Can you fit in with the existing culture and management style?
And finally, the other big concern is with the Dollars and Cents. Can the company afford to pay you for what you are worth? It’s not only about your present asking salary. It’s also about your earning capacity in the future, and also the other benefits and perks that come with this job.
All these concerns must be weighed up when a employer thinks about hiring. A candidate may be the best qualified person technically for a job but sometimes the best candidate may not be hired if he fails to satisfy an employer about his productivity or personality, or if he has priced himself beyond the employer’s means.
(This article of mine originally appeared in BlogStreet.)