Understanding the Real Purpose of the Interview

To be successful in a job interview, it is critical to not only prepare about yourself, but also to understand what the people interviewing you are looking for and what motivates them.

Putting yourself in their shoes will give you a strategic advantage.

What are HR and the Hiring Manager Really Looking For?

Both the Human Resources (HR) staff and the direct manager of the vacant position have specific needs and pressures.

Ana, from HR, is looking for candidates who fit as closely as possible to the profile defined for the position.

Her responsibility is to present viable options to the manager, filtering out those who meet the basic requirements.

On the other hand, Ricardo, the hiring manager, urgently needs to fill a need in his team.

He is looking for someone who is not only technically compliant, but who will integrate well and be productive quickly.

A bad hire means wasting time and money on selection and training, starting over, and potentially looking bad to his superiors.

You are both trying to do your best to find the right person and minimize risk to the organization.

Your Main Objective: Getting the Job Offer

With a clear understanding of what the employer is looking for, your primary goal throughout the interview process should be one: to secure a job offer.

It may sound obvious, but many candidates get lost in details or anxieties.

If you get the offer, you'll have time later to decide whether the conditions, salary or culture are a good fit for you and whether you want to accept or negotiate.

Keeping this goal in mind will help you focus your preparation and responses during the interview.

Why Conduct Interviews? Beyond the CV

In a world full of digital communication (email, text), why are face-to-face or video interviews still crucial?

The main reason is that the resume, certifications and technical tests, while important, don't tell the whole story. Companies need to evaluate you as a human being.

They need to see if you can communicate effectively in person, if you are able to speak clearly and coherently.

In addition, they want to assess intangible aspects: do you seem like a positive person, will you be pleasant to work with, will you fit in with the culture of the team and the company?

These are qualities that can only be gauged in direct interaction.

The Interviewer is Human Too: Nerves and Desire for Success

It's easy to forget that the person across the table may also be nervous.

Perhaps it's their first time interviewing, they're feeling the pressure to find the ideal candidate quickly, or they're just having a bad day.

Being friendly, with good humor and a positive attitude can help relax the interviewer, creating a more comfortable environment for both of you. Fundamentally, the interviewer wants you to succeed.

They need to fill the vacancy and would prefer you to be the right person so they can finish the search process.

They are not there to set you up to fail, but to find the best solution to their need.

Understanding this can reduce your own anxiety and help you approach the interview as a constructive conversation.

Summary

Understand what HR and the manager are looking for. They need to fill vacancies quickly and minimize risk. Your goal is to get the offer; decisions will come later.

Interviews assess human aspects that the CV doesn't show, such as your communication, consistency and personality. They want to see if you are a positive and pleasant person.

Remember that the interviewer is also human and may be nervous. They want you to be successful so they can finalize their personnel search process.