Robert lost his job last month and is anxious about interviewing for a new one. His company downsized and he was one of the casualties of that decision. The problem is that Robert hasn’t interviewed for a job in over seven years. He is asking how to prepare for his upcoming interview.

I recently saw an article in Forbes that talked about what recruiters look for when hiring for a new position. Since so many people are job hunting these days, I found this article very helpful. Here is a very brief summary. The link provides the full article. If you are looking for a job or want to change jobs, you will want to be prepared to answer these three questions:

1. Can you do the job? This question is intended to get at your strengths. While technical skills are needed for a position, you also want to be good with interpersonal relationships and have leadership skills. Recruiters look for people high in Emotional Intelligence (EQ). EQ is all about your ability to monitor your feelings and the feelings of other people and use the information to guide your decisions and actions.

2. Is there a fit between you and the company hiring you? People leave and get fired from organizations when the fit is not happening. In a job interview, not only are they assessing you, but you will need to assess them. This question about fit gets at who you are in relation to the organization interested in hiring you. Will the two of you work well together?

3. Do you have passion for the position? People who hire are looking for those who are highly motivated because they have passion for a position. This question assesses your motivation. Are you interested in the job simply because you need a job and can do the work, or do you have a passion for the work?

As you prepare to interview, be prepared by thinking through your answers to these three questions. If you can answer, YES, to all three questions, you may have a better chance of finding a job you like and can stay at for awhile.