So, you’ve been applying to job after job, with little or no success. You’re frustrated because you can’t seem to land that interview. Every job you’ve applied for either never gets back to you or does not continue past the initial phone screening. By now, you’re feeling a little dejected.
Then, one morning, you get an email from the recruiter wanting to schedule an interview for that job you’ve really, really wanted for a long time. This is it! You can’t mess this up because the job means so much to you and you think you’d be perfect for the role. Now, you need to ask yourself, what do I need to do to ensure I have an outstanding interview?
I say “outstanding” because you really do need to stand out. With the competitive landscape of the modern workplace, it can be difficult to do this. It always seems that there is someone with more experience, someone who has even just the slightest edge on you. The truth is, though, more often than not it is the way we are presenting ourselves in interviews that hurts us. After all, you are there to convince the hiring manager and the team on why you are the best candidate. To do this, let’s look at the three areas that hiring managers focus on:
- Relevant Skills and Experiences
- Culture Fit and Soft Skills
- Motivation and Commitment
Relevant Skills & Experiences
For relevant skills and experiences, highlight specific accomplishments. Sit down with a pen and a piece of paper and think back to something you’ve accomplished either as a professional, as a student (especially if you are a young professional or recent graduate), or even as a volunteer. (Note: measurable accomplishments tend to work well, e.g. “I increased sales by 10%” or “increased project efficiency by 20%”).
What might help is highlighting your accomplishment using the STAR method:
- Situation - What was the scenario or setting?
- Task - What was the objective or task you needed to accomplish?
- Action - What action did you take?
- Result - How did the action turn out and what results did it bring?
Using this as a guide will help formulate how you present your accomplishments to the hiring manager in a clear, concise, and structured way – instead of chaotic rambling (which will only hurt you!!). Visit this link for examples and further reading on the STAR technique.
Culture Fit & Soft Skills
For culture fit and soft skills, they want to know why you want to join their company and why you’d be a good fit with the team and organization. This requires research!
Every organization has values and a mission statement – even if not stated clearly. (Sometimes, it takes some sleuthing skills). What soft skills does the job demand? What are the company’s values? If you are able to align yourself with these, making clear points as to your goals, experiences, and skills you have to offer, your chances for consideration get stronger!
For example, if the company values collaboration, denote your experience with collaborating with cross-functional teams. If the company values innovation, highlight times you demonstrated innovative thinking! Whatever the company’s values are, there will be something you’ve done in your career, professional or academic, that aligns with them. It just takes some thinking.
Commitment & Motivation
The company also wants to know if you are committed to the company, and if you are motivated to succeed. No company is interested in hiring someone who is only a job hopper. Companies think of candidates as an investment. They want to know that you will be worth their investment.
Consider your career goals. Ask yourself, what do I want in the short term and in the long term? Remember, you need to position yourself in the most favorable light. Don’t just tell them why you’re interested but also what motives your interest — but not in the light of how it benefits you. Express how the organization’s values and mission resonate with you and that you’d like to bring your expertise to the company to help their mission of X,Y, and Z.
Also, share what motivates you to work. How does your work style match up with the required work of the job you’re interviewing for? Are you a self-starter? Are you a team player? Do you have a strong work ethic? If you answer ‘YES!’ to any or all of these, write down instances when you showed them to be true.
If there is anything to take away from all this, it is that hiring managers want to hear of specific instances of when you displayed the qualities they’re searching for. They could care less about generic statements about your success or skills. Anyone can say they’ve helped clients succeed or were a valued contributor to a team. But can you say, “I helped 45+ clients achieve a 20% increase in their monthly revenue” or “I standardized processes for my team by creating a process document that increased efficiency by 15%”? While these are random examples, the point is that you need to be as specific as possible in as few words as possible.
If you can focus your energy on these areas mentioned above, writing them down and thinking about them to the point where you can answer them clearly and articulately, then you are already on the fast track to securing that job.
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