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How to Meet Your Interviewer’s Expectations

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Have you ever had an expectation of someone that you didn’t explain to that person? We all have. Perhaps in the past you’ve expected friends to give you a call or text when you were going through a hard time. Or, you have expected a spouse or roommate to take over his or her fair share of household chores. As you likely discovered, unspoken expectations often go unmet. After all, people aren’t mind readers. This is as true in one’s work life as his or her personal life.

Interviewers Have Unspoken Expectations of You

Just as you have unspoken expectations of others, people have unspoken expectations of you. Specifically, the person who will be conducting your next job interview expects a few things of you that you may or may not be aware of. These things probably won’t be disclosed to you prior to the interview. It’s your job to find out what these expectations are so that you can meet them and increase your chances of getting hired.

So, what are these unspoken expectations most interviewers have of you? There are many; here are just a few:

Have an understanding of the company budget

Interviewers expect you to have a working knowledge of how companies handle money and how you can support an organization’s budgetary goals. (Conserving an employer’s resources and never using them for personal gain is a great place to start.) Do some research about the company budget prior to your interview so you will have an idea of how to answer questions about it should they come up.

 

Be dressed for success

It’s amazing how many people don’t have any idea how to dress for interview success. This is a shame since candidate appearance is something hiring managers major on. Without a doubt, interviewers expect candidates to know how to dress for an interview. Forbes contributor Lisa Quast explained, “The recession created a heightened awareness by hiring managers of what candidates wear to interviews. Interview attire is also often seen as a test of a candidate’s familiarity of the company and industry.” This 2-minute video created by Forbes provides tips that will help you meet your interviewers’ expectations of your professional appearance.

 

Know why you want to work for an employer

Days before you head into a job interview, you should know why you want to work for your prospective employer. Make a list of specific reasons why you are drawn to that company and read over them several times. Be sure you also understand the company mission and know essential facts about the organization. There’s a great chance your interviewer will ask you why you want to work for his or her company, so have a good answer prepared. This Monster.com article will help you come up with the perfect response.

Let’s say your next interview is a huge success and you get hired. If so, you will have another set of unspoken expectations to meet: your new boss’s. Prepare yourself to meet these workplace expectations right off the bat by reading this simple workplace success manual. Browse the Workplace Expectations blog to learn more about how to succeed in the workplace.

It’s frustrating to be expected to meet standards that are not verbally communicated. Unfortunately, this is just part of life, especially in the workplace. Don’t get annoyed about this. Instead, get prepared to meet the unspoken expectations of your next interviewer. Doing so will make you stand out among your competition.

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