5 Tips for Nailing an Interview

The interview stage is crucial, because a good impression is all that's standing between you and the job. To get this point, your name was likely selected from a long list of potential candidates. In fact, Forbes magazine reported that the average job posting receives 118 responses. Although, if you were recommended to the position through a recruiter, you're name was likely picked from a shorter list.

Until this point, your resume or recruiter has been representing you. The hiring manager has a general understanding of your skill set and professional experience, and now it's time to see if you are a good fit for the company's culture. The hiring manager will likely test your technical knowledge or business acumen, as the position requires, but the role of culture should not be forgotten.

What are interviewers looking for?

In 2015, Business Insider, with workplace expert Lynn Taylor, conducted a national survey asking recruiters, "What's the skill or trait employers value most in a job candidate?" The most common answer was not a tangible expertise, but a rather a personal attribute: trustworthiness.

"It's an amalgamation of many other desirable attributes," said Taylor. "In business, as in life, trustworthiness is the foundation of any sustainable, healthy relationship - and it's of utmost importance to employers."

Leaders who trust their employees have less to worry about. Managers want to work with employees who they can trust to get their work done on time, to follow company policy, to act ethically, to follow security protocols and to respect others. An interview is often the only time hiring managers get to assess these abilities. Demonstrating trustworthiness as you answer questions could help you land the job.

Here are five more tips for nailing an interview: