Focus your interview on fit

A job interview is not just a tool for an employer to find the right people for their business; they’re also an opportunity for you, as a candidate, to assess whether that employer is the right fit for you.

A recent study conducted by my team found that more than a third of Canadian employers say personality fit is the main reason new hires quit the business after only a few months, so it’s important that you use your interview time wisely to determine how good a fit the employer is.

It’s important that you find the right fit for you. Feeling out of place in an office can quickly lead to dejection and poor productivity.

There are several factors which make up a business’ culture and personality which indicate whether, ultimately, it’s the right fit for you. Here’s what you should be focusing on in your interview:

1. Work/life balance

If you and your manager have different expectations about how intense and arduous your working schedule is going to be then you will soon run into problems. For instance, if you’re producing excellent work within your stated hours but your manager still expects you to stay late into the evening, as that’s the culture that the business has adopted, then you will quickly become frustrated in your role.

By simply asking how important a healthy work/life balance is to the employer you can resolve this problem at the interview stage. If you feel that this question could be interpreted as you being lazy then you can ask roundabout questions such as whether the team have many social events or activities in the evenings or throughout the week.

2. Familiarity

Feeling out of place in an office can quickly lead to dejection and poor productivity

Are you usually formal and polite, or relaxed and familiar? Finding a team in which you are comfortable interacting and communicating with your colleagues can be the reason you leap out of bed in the morning, or the reason you hit snooze one more time.

Try and establish whether the team bond is a strong, personal one or whether social interaction is discouraged in favour of hard-work (not a good sign!). Also ask questions around the structuring of the business and whether a fun and positive environment is supported right through the business or not – recent research suggests that playfulness is the way to go in the workplace.

3. Conformity

Different industries and companies have different expectations around conformity, from dress codes to work practices. Decide if it’s important for you to be able to determine your own approach, or whether you would rather follow an established process.

It can sound a little inappropriate to ask whether you’ll be allowed to wear jeans to work in the interview, so structure your line of questioning with more subtlety. Perhaps dress smart to the interview and, once there, ask whether you’re overdressed or not.

4. Teamwork

Independence versus collaboration, solitude versus teamwork – some roles are almost entirely a team effort while others require a lot of self-motivation and independence. Finding a job with the right balance for you will reduce work stress and make you more comfortable in your role.

If you feel comfortable talking to the interviewer then it’s likely you’ll be a good fit

You should already know from the nature of the job title whether the role is one which requires constant collaboration or not, however you can further validate your inferences during the interview. Ask questions such as ‘How dependent are other people on me and my duties?’ to establish whether you are a key cog within a vast system or more of a lone wolf.

5. Gut instinct

Having explored all of the above factors then it’s up to you and your gut instinct. If you feel comfortable talking to the interviewer and the interview has been a pleasant experience of cordial conversation then it’s likely you’ll be a good fit for the business. Feeling instinctively that you have good rapport with your interviewer/future employer is sometimes the very best indicator that you’ll fit in well.

It’s not all about them

Don’t sell yourself short by giving the employer a monopoly on the interview. It’s also your chance to conclude whether they’re the right fit for you. Ask the employer plenty of questions and focus on the factors above to help you decide how good a match both of you are for each other.

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