Four doubts your interviewer has about you and how to address them Viewpoint careers advice blog

Four doubts your interviewer has about you â€" and how to address them I’ve worked with my colleague Jessica (names have been changed to protect the embarrassed) for nearly 10 years. Jessica is an expert recruiter who had hired a new member of her team a few weeks earlier and I casually asked how the new guy was getting on. “I think I got it wrong” she admitted sheepishly “he’s not right for that job”. For any hiring manager, the possibility of spending months tirelessly trying to find the perfect new member of their team, only to find weeks later that they have recruited the wrong person, can be an extremely worrying, and often all too real prospect. Understandably decision-makers will do everything in their power to ensure that this doesn’t happen. This includes thoroughly evaluating each candidate they interview â€" weighing up their pros and cons, and quickly identifying any doubts they have or risks they might foresee. As a jobseeker, it’s vitally important that you understand this, and have prepared thoroughly to overcome any doubts the interviewer might have of you, long before you even set foot in the interview room. To help you, I’ve highlighted below some common reservations interviewers can have of interviewees, and how, you, as a jobseeker can proactively tackle these to make sure they are comfortable committing to hire you: 1. You lack the right skills and experience: The interviewer will be looking for the best match of skills and experience when interviewing candidates, and rightly so. Here’s what to do if you are lacking any: Identify any mismatches: As part of your interview preparation, you may have highlighted areas on the job advert which match your skills and therefore are planning to emphasise these in the interview. However, it is also important to look at the areas in which your skills may not fully correlate and take note of these. Can you tackle this before the interview? If you are lacking a key skill required for the role, consider whether this is something you can begin to learn in advance. Not all skills can be learnt to perfection in a short timescale, but showing commitment to learning and improving is a great start. How to respond if the interviewer voices their concerns: If the interviewer explains their reservations about this outright, you should respond by emphasising that you are a quick learner and are always looking to expand your skill set. Perhaps highlight a time when you quickly learnt a new skill or proactively undertook a training course in your own time. 2. You have employment gaps on your CV Taking a break from your career out of choice can be extremely fulfilling and worthwhile. Of course, there may also be unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances that have led to employment gaps on your CV. Either way, during your interview, you must ensure that you are able to  clearly and honestly outline why these gaps have occurred during the interview to help negate any doubts your interviewer may have. Here’s how: Be ready to justify any employment gaps: Prior to the interview, you must be clear in your mind why you have employment gaps on your CV and if possible, how this break has benefited you and could benefit your potential new employer. This is likely to be something the interviewer will press you on during the interview. Thinking about your response in advance will enable you to justify your reasons for the gaps in a way that makes it clear to the interviewer that you weren’t sitting around doing nothing. Were you travelling? Were you volunteering? Were you unemployed? It’s important to be honest here. 3. You seem nervous and lacking in confidence Try not to let your nerves overwhelm and prevent you from doing yourself justice in the interview. If you let your nerves get the better of you, the interviewer may not see your full potential, and therefore may have concerns about your suitability for the role. Here’s my advice: Prepare thoroughly beforehand: If you know you are prone to nerves, you will need to do more preparation for the interview. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will feel, and the less nervous you will be. Rehearse answers to common interview questions out loud, plan your journey, get a good night’s sleep and ensure your interview outfit is ironed and ready to go. During the interview: Think positive and act positive Try to treat the interview as a conversation Think before you answer each question, when you speak, talk slowly and pace yourself Be yourself Use as much eye contact as possible and smile 4. You have too much experience for the role If the hiring manager thinks you may overqualified for the role just by reading your CV, they will likely come into the interview room with preconceived doubts and reservations. For example, they may think you will not be engaged in the role and will seek out pastures new quickly, or that you will simply be too expensive. If you are considering roles which are comparatively less demanding or less well-paid, it is important to understand that you may need to work hard during the interview to tackle these assumptions. This advice will help you: Demonstrate your interest in the position: To negate the interviewer’s doubts, it’s important to show the interviewer that you really want the job and this job Do your research, come armed with questions and take notes. Your passion and excitement for the job could really help to convince the interviewer that you are the right person for the job, regardless of your level of experience. Make it clear that you are in it for the long haul: As stated previously, one of the main concerns a hiring manager will have about an overqualified candidate is that they will go elsewhere. If possible, try to demonstrate to the interviewer that you have a solid career history, are loyal and have enjoyed long tenures at previous employers. How to respond: Should the interviewer air their concerns that you may be too experienced for the role, be honest and open with them about why you applied in the first place. Are you looking to take a step back and would like less responsibility? Is money less of an issue now, thus leaving you able to pursue a role you are really interested in? Are you looking to make a career change? They will respect and appreciate your transparency here â€" responding in this way will also help the interviewer understand your reasoning. In summary, being forewarned is being forearmed. Before your interview you should look in the mirror figuratively as well as literally; take the time to take a step back, put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes and honestly identify which areas they may be concerned about. That way, you will arrive for the interview prepared, confident and ready to pre-empt any doubts, and ultimately convince the interviewer that you are the right person for the job and that they can be confident they will still feel the same long after you have received your first paycheck! Do you have an interview coming up? Read our interview tips to ensure its a success:   6 ways to show your interviewer that you really want the job The do’s and don’ts of networking to find a job   Why storytelling could be your key to interview success 14 things to do before your job interview 8 warning signs to look out for during your interview Share this blog: