What are hiring managers looking for in an interview?

There’s a science behind landing your dream tech job. Read on to uncover some top tips on how to impress in an interview and the kind of traits hiring managers are looking for.

Applying for a new role can be daunting, but if you manage to get to the interview stage, you know you’re in with a real chance.

When preparing for a job interview, it can be hard to know what to do or say to stand out from your competitors, especially when the tech industry is so competitive.

That’s why we have uncovered the top things that hiring managers are looking for and shared our top interview tips, so that you can know how to impress in an interview and up your chances of securing the job.

How to impress in an interview

Relatively speaking, hiring managers in the tech industry need to know three things:

• Are you capable of doing what the position demands?
• Are you interested in the kind of work the job requires?
• How well will you fit in within the team and business?

In other words, are you capable, passionate and a good fit? To help you answer the questions above, we’ve covered everything you need to know below.

Capability

First and foremost, hiring managers want to know if – and how – you are capable of doing what the position demands.

To determine this, hiring managers will investigate your understanding of the role, your appreciation of the company and its values, and your capacity for growth.

Understanding of the role

Now, by this point of the hiring process, they will have seen your qualifications and have a solid understanding of your attributes on paper. However, you need to convince hiring managers that you possess their most in-demand tech skills, and that you have the capability to apply these skills to their real-world company objectives.

In order to convince a hiring manager that you are suitably capable and qualified for the role, you must have a concrete understanding of the role’s responsibilities and requirements.

Make sure that you have fully understood the job description, and prepare for your interview by aligning the role’s responsibilities with the experience you already have. If you can come into the interview with answers as to how you’re going to apply your existing skills to this new role, you are bound to make an impression.

One of the biggest things that hiring managers are looking for is evidence to support your claims. Try to quantify your impact on previous companies, and your ability to do the same in a new role, by using statistics wherever possible.

Understanding of the company

Another thing that hiring managers will look for when assessing your capability is your level of understanding of the company’s culture, values, ethos and objectives.

Hiring managers want to know whether or not your values align with company values to determine whether you’d be a good fit in their environment.

If you want to impress in an interview, do your homework on the company, so that you can confidently make links between their values and your own during the interview.

Want/ability to develop

The capabilities you present during an interview should extend beyond the here and now and should shine a light on your capacity to grow professionally in the future.

Hiring managers want to know whether or not you are worth the company’s investment, so you need to convey to them that you have the potential – and willingness – to improve your skills.

Consider using examples of previous circumstances that have pushed you to grow as a professional and as an individual and try to correlate these to real situations that you might encounter in their new role.

You might also want to undertake some research on the kind of developmental opportunities the company offers and comment on which you would like to utilise, should you be chosen for the role.

Passion

During an interview, hiring managers want to ascertain how interested you are not only in the sphere of work you do, but specifically in their company and its role.

When interviewing for a tech job, it’s highly likely that multiple candidates are being considered for the role. So, it’s your job to convince the interviewer that you want this job more than any of them.

One of the ways hiring managers will assess your passion is through the questions you ask. The more tailored your questions are to the company and role, the more interested you’ll appear. Your level of understanding of the company and role will aid your ability to put forward captivating questions.

Another way that hiring managers gauge your interest in a role is by noting how prepared you are for the interview. If you’re completely blindsided by the interviewer’s questions or aren’t able to articulate your experience effectively, some hiring managers will assume that you’re simply not interested enough in the job to deserve it.

So, make sure you do enough interview prep by practising with a friend or trying to predict interview questions before the big day.

Belonging

Aside from your technical prowess and professional experience, hiring managers are looking for a candidate who will fit into their team as seamlessly as possible.

As well as sharing core values with the company, hiring managers want to know how well you will match the work ethic and interests of their existing employees.

One of the ways hiring managers analyse your suitability is by trying to figure out how well you work with others, i.e. whether or not you’re a team player. Where relevant, try to scatter into your interview answers examples of your ability to collaborate with others in the workplace.

On a less formal note, hiring managers will be looking for people who share similar interests with their employees outside of the workplace. Alongside your skills and work experience, don’t forget to share insight into your hobbies and personal interests. The idea is to convey to the interviewer that you are a well-rounded individual.

Although you might tailor some of your answers to what you think the interviewer wants to hear, it’s vital that you remain authentic throughout your interview.

Hiring managers have a well-trained ear and can usually detect falseness. The more authentic you are, the easier it will be for hirers to determine whether or not you will be a good fit for their company.

Secure your dream job

Once you’ve completed the interview stage, you’ve passed the hardest part. That’s why it’s always worth preparing as much as you can, to make a lasting impression on hiring managers and up your chances of securing a role.

Here at Revoco, we can help you every step of the way. If you need help finding your dream job, take a look at our job listings or contact our team today.