Stop Sabotaging Your Interviews: A Look at Common Interview Questions Many People Get Wrong

The Question: What are your expectations for this position?

 No, this isn’t a trick question that requires a people-pleasing answer. The interviewer is allowing you to be honest about what’s important to you in your next workplace. 

Your answer can be technical (i.e. if you want to lead a team or to travel), or cultural (i.e. if you want an employer dedicated to your development, or if you want to learn from field experts). Regardless of the direction of your answer, ensure your expectations are clear.  

Interviewers ask this question to understand if you have thought carefully about how your lifestyle – both personal and professional – would align with your next role. Think carefully about how your lifestyles and preferences intersect; know what you want in (and from) a job, and be able to articulate to your interviewer what would provide you with the most satisfaction.

How You Could Be Answering The Question Wrong and How to Fix It 

 Don’t give vague answers or simply re-iterate the position’s description from the original job posting. This happens far too often… your interviewer won’t be impressed. 

Instead, be honest about what you’re looking for in a position, what you want to get out of the role, and what environments bring out your best professional productivity and personal satisfaction. 

If you’re best productive working on a team, prefer collaborative workspaces with opportunities for independent work, or want to work with a manager who provides professional development, this is your opportunity to say so and openly make the interviewer aware of your preferences. 

Clearly outline what elements of an ideal work environment help you to thrive and why. If you need to work from home four days a week to accommodate childcare, let your interviewer know. As long as your requests are within the realm of reason, they won’t think poorly of you. 

No matter your answer, always end by articulating your openness and where specifically you are flexible regarding your wants and expectations. 

Moving Forward…

Your ability to clearly articulate what’s important to you and what brings out the best in your performance will resonate with the interviewer. By being genuine and honest, you and the interviewer can work together to better determine whether or not you’re a good fit for the role. 

Realistically, you will not fit into every role and work environment, nor will you want to. Remember, interview spaces are also your opportunity to determine if an employer, their environment, and their role fit your needs, wants, and goals. If you dislike remote work, you are not well-suited to fill a position that is only in the office twice a month, and that’s okay! It’s better to make a well-informed decision about what the employer is offering and how it fits into your personal and professional style than to take an ill-fitting position. 

Stay tuned for our next article in this mini-series where we’ll dive into another commonly asked interview question and how to respond in order to leave your best first impression. 

If after reading this you think you could benefit from one-on-one coaching to prepare to clearly articulate your values and expectations for interview success on your job search, contact People Exchange today.