The hidden agendas of interview questions

Posted on by

or What Are They Really Asking?

Some of the mentoring I’ve been doing recently (via the amazing Women Coding Community in this instance) has including interview preparation and mock interviews. Old hands at this game will consider this old news, but I thought this worth the effort of writing about. If it helps just one person do a little better at just one interview, I consider it to be a success. So the truth is:

The question probably has a hidden meaning

Or to put it another way: they’re often looking for insight into how you’re going to fit into their business/culture, and/or how you’re going to add value to the team. The hiring manager will be asking him/herself the fit & value questions right through the process, and most of the questions – even the innocent-sounding ones – give you the opportunity to demonstrate why you’d be the best candidate.

Let’s have a look at a couple of examples:

“Why do you think you’d be an ideal hire into this role?”

At least this one is worded honestly with straightforward intent, unlike the following one!

Take a moment and re-phrase the question in your mind. It’s not about why you would love the job and how happy it would make you to be working on your dream projects.

What they’re really asking is “What special experience, ability or aptitude do you bring? Explain how and why you’re going to perform really well here“. That’s the question you need to address. Your answer should be tailored to showing the value you bring, the pain you will relieve. So let’s think about how.

  • Be specific.
  • Cite examples of similar work you’ve done, and what you learned.
  • If there’s some aspect of the role that excites you, by all means mention it, but back it up with a value statement: “I love crafting code for IoT devices, I’ve invented and deployed my own solar-powered hygrometer for my herb garden“.
  • Be contextual; if it’s an in-office role, mention how you love the idea-exchange that happens there, how you enjoy helping others solve problems. Likewise for hybrid or remote – drop in a statement about how well you function, and how.

“Tell me about yourself”

Yes, as cringe-worthy as this one is, it’s still in common use.

Pause. What are they really asking? Spoiler alert: they don’t care about you, and don’t really want to know anything about you other than how you’re going to help them. So, to re-phrase:

“Tell me how you’re going to make my life easier, get product shipped faster, improve quality metrics, increase revenue, lower costs, innovate effectively, raise morale and make the coffee taste better“. (delete as appropriate). It’s not about you! It’s about them.

It’s not about you!

“I’m married with two children, two cats and a goldfish, and I love to play golf” answers the question but does you no favours at all, and will very quickly have your CV dropped into the NFA pile.

So, rather than answering the asked question, answer the hidden one. Explain how your love of inventing and integrating IoT gadgets is going to grow their product range cheaply and quickly; how your contagiously cheerful communication style will improve team collaboration, and so on.

Don’t obsess that you didn’t actually answer they question they asked you! If they are genuinely interested in you as a person, they may ask a follow-up question about hobbies or pets. Feel free to answer these honestly and with authentic passion.

What they’re looking for

I could go on with more examples, but they all follow the same pattern: the question masks their intent to discover the value you’ll bring.

Remember, right through the interview process: they are evaluating what YOU can offer THEM. Be sure to align your answers accordingly. Do your research ahead of time. Make sure you know what you future team looks like, and what problems they likely face. While remaining honest and authentic, lean towards those problems as you answer the hidden questions. This is a great chance to show that you can address their big headaches, which massively improves your chances of moving forward to the next round… or to a job offer.

Rule of Thumb:

Nearly every interview question has a hidden agenda or subtext. Think for a moment before answering, and be sure to address that underlying query.

Please add your thoughts and comments below! Disagree with me, agree with me. Share (repost) to your network if you think anyone there might benefit from reading.