What Interviewers Want to Know

Capability Factors

Personal traits, characteristics, self-presentation and “social intelligence”

• Accurate self-perception, self-awareness
• Situation awareness: sensitivity to others’ needs, priorities and feelings
• Recognition of personal strengths and deficits
• Positive self-presentation: grooming, appropriate dress, posture, general demeanor
• Responsive, articulate, succinct, self-discipline

Intellectual capacity, analytical ability and judgment

• Critical thinking and analytical ability
• Conceptual skills: strategic and tactical thinking, setting priorities
• Ability to learn new skills and grasp new constructs/knowledge
• Creativity and innovation
• Vocabulary: breadth and usage
• Ability to deal with complex issues and problems, to see the big picture
• Ability to learn and generalize from past experience
• Style when working under pressure or during a crisis
• Ability to read social or interpersonal situations and respond appropriately

Communication abilities

• Interpersonal: credibility, compatibility, affiliation, power-seeking, authority
• Oral: listening, synthesizing content, expression, building rapport
• Written: form, content, logic, clarity, persuasiveness

Work style

• Initiative: self-starting vs. desire for instruction
• Need for supervision vs. autonomy: team player vs. working independence
• Project oriented vs. steady-state “maintenance oriented”
• Need for structure vs. tolerance for ambiguity: attitude toward change
• Humanistic, pragmatic, visionary or adventure-oriented
• Degree of need for structure, standards, frequent feedback

Motivation-related factors

Personal values and priorities

• Career/life objectives and personal development goals – short and long term
• Balance between work, family and personal priorities
• Operative values and priorities; goal and results orientation
• External forces and factors: family, social, economic, religious, ethnic, gender, etc.

Risks and rewards

• Motivational “hot buttons”: monetary, power, prestige, affiliation, challenge, variety
• Definition of success, achievement, personal and professional growth
• Attitude toward risk, uncertainty, tradition, commitment or security
• Immediate vs. deferred gratification; nature of feedback
• Affiliation needs and style: preferred colleagues and co-workers
• Work location, setting, structure