What Is a Hiring Manager Looking For?

There are many desirable qualities which an employer will look out for during an interview but first and foremost, they will be assessing whether you can do the job well. To ascertain this, they will ask probing questions into your skills and employment history. 

Without appearing over-confident, you need to display that you have the skills and experience required to carry out the role. Take another good look at the job description before the interview and make sure you talk about these skills and experience in your answers. 

Talking about irrelevant skills which you might be good at will just waste time during the interview - time which could be used to prove you are a suitable candidate. 

As well as your abilities, a hiring manager will also be looking for cues that you will fit well into their existing team. You could be the best applicant for the job on paper but if you couldn’t work as part of an existing team, this could store up trouble for the future, trouble which a hiring manager would likely want to avoid. 

Good communication skills will also be high up on a hiring managers list. Whether the role is client-facing or not, the ability to communicate well with colleagues is essential for employers, especially if working remotely where this is crucial but could be more difficult. 

• A hiring manager could also be looking for
• Passion and knowledge of the company
• Enthusiasm and knowledge of the job role  
• That you understand the job role
• Willingness to learn 
• Honesty and accountability 
• Approachability 
• Accessibility 
• Someone that can think for themself 
• Commitment