This is the number one question on every recruiter’s mind and why you apply for the ethical job: Are you capable of getting the ethical job done?
An interview is an opportunity to describe your most relevant work experience (not just repeat information on your resume). Think about what sets you apart from candidates with similar backgrounds, and prepare anecdotes that highlight your unique approach to the project or challenges you face at work.
When applying for leadership positions, think about your ability to lead others. Perhaps you’re taking the initiative to organize regular check-ins to make your team more comfortable giving and receiving feedback. If you’d like to highlight a project you’ve led, please share the project management tools you’ve used to gain insight into your workflow.
Pro Tip: To really wow recruiters, make sure you understand the difference between showing and telling.
1. Will you do the work?
Even if you have the skills and experience required for the ethical job, you must show the recruiter that you are willing to get the job done. It’s great when you really care about your organization’s mission. But we want to share what parts of the role excite and motivate you, even when you’re not applying for your dream job. Write down why you applied for the job. Can you directly engage in ministry in a community-based environment? Has your organization recently announced an initiative you would like to join?
You can also examine the hiring organization’s weaknesses before the interview to show that you will get the ethical job done (and how). Present some real solutions in the interview by getting an overview of the real challenges they face and how those challenges relate to the job you’re applying for
Recruiters know you’re serious about the ethical job when you give them specific ideas about how you want to manage your tasks.
2. How do you contribute to the company culture?
If you’re an experienced interviewee, you might think that something about culture could fit on this list.
But many recruiters are changing course, moving away from culture fit and toward culture advantage.
Instead of assessing how you fit into the established corporate culture, I think you can think of a few ways that this method could create bias in hiring, but currently many Recruiters are looking for candidates who can help them fit into the existing corporate culture. It evolves, brings ideas, and advances diversity and inclusion efforts. In other words, add culture.
Interestingly, there isn’t much you can do to demonstrate your potential for cultural contribution other than to be yourself.
Culture growth is best measured through objective analysis by the hiring team, so the best advice we can give you here is what we think your hiring manager is expecting from you. It is to avoid conforming yourself to Instead, during the interview, don’t be afraid to take the opportunity to challenge the status quo, improve your current processes, or make a point of view that your organization may be lacking.
These points aren’t exhaustive about everything a recruiter thinks during an interview, but they’re a good place to start. Think of some examples of how to deal with them to demonstrate the skills and experience involved. That way, at your next interview, you’ll know you’ve done all you can to show why you’re the best fit for the role, team, or organization.