We all have them, but what is important during an interview is to find out what the interviewer’s expectations are. Try asking the question “what are the expectations of the candidate who fills this position?” Listen closely to the answer. If there is anything said that you do not entirely understand, ask them to clarify or elaborate.
Not understanding the expectation of a position has led to the demise of many employees. What that really means is either you did not hear what the expectations were, the expectations were not clearly communicated, or in most cases, both. But it’s usually the employee who gets the short end of the stick. Many times not understanding the expectations will lead to your eventual resignation in that “this is not what you signed up for.”
The reason you want to find the interviewer’s level of expectation up front as much as possible is because that answer will benefit you in your answers back to the interviewer on their questions. Knowing what the expectations are will influence what you say and how you answer all future questions.
For example, if the interviewed says that the position calls for an extreme sense of urgency, you will incorporate that expectation in your mind and will answer accordingly, like when you have had deadlines in the past that you had to meet.
When you learn what the expectations are, you will make a better judgment as to if the position is something that you would like or something from which you want to stay away. The critical factor is that if the position is something from which you would rather stay away, you can save yourself a lot of stress and consternation by not accepting the position as opposed to hoping that it will change down the road.
Luke 6:31
