5 Steps That Ensure Your Success in The Interview

Preparing for your interview is key to landing a good fit role.  Where your resume may get you the interview, the interview can get you the job.  This is your opportunity to sell yourself, showcase your value and position yourself as the ideal candidate for the role. 
Below are 5 ways that you can prepare for the interview and sell yourself successfully. 

1. Know the skills you can offer: Before the interview, prepare yourself to approach your interview from a position of service not seeking.  Be prepared to think in terms of what you can do for the company as opposed to thinking only in terms of wanting the job.  Review the requirements for the role and consider how you can satisfy or meet as many of them as possible.
   
   
2. Know the company you are interviewing for:  Google the company, read news articles and check out the company website.  Familiarize yourself with their value or mission statement and make note of other important or fun facts about the company.  Tie this information into why you want to work for them or why you are applying for the role, and position yourself as an asset to their organization.
   
   
3. Prepare your Reason for Leaving Statement:  One of my favourite interview questions is around how you found yourself back in the labour market.  This question is an excellent opportunity to show your value to your interviewer(s).  Often people answer this question with a quick answer such as “my position was eliminated”, or “my role was restructured out”, but rarely take it further than that.  Once you give your single sentence response as to what happened, (just the facts), why not add in 1-2 of your accomplishments or achievements from your previous company?  For extra impact, choose accomplishments that relate to the role you are interviewing for.  Then wrap up with how excited you are to bring your skills and expertise to the new company.  In this way, you are leaving your interviewer(s) with the perception that you will work to deliver the same results to them.
   
   
4. Have a good marketing blurb:  Be prepared for the question “tell us about yourself”.  Establish 5-6 sentences or bullet points that deliver your professional information and are directly related to the role you are interviewing for.  Highlight what you do, how long you have been doing it for, and what industries you have worked in.  Also consider the impact or benefit you bring to an organization – what you help organizations to do or accomplish.  Consider how you do what you do and which ideas you have that may be unique or different from others interviewing for the same role.
    
   
   
5. Know your “strengths and weaknesses”:  It is beneficial to draw up a list containing 2-3 of your strengths and weaknesses.One strategy is to review the job ad and choose your strengths based on what the company is looking for in the job ad, ensuring you outline how you can meet their requirements.
    
    
   When asked about your weaknesses, you can turn this question into another great opportunity to sell yourself.  When answering, I suggest using the word “challenge” instead of “weakness” as the word weakness implies a defect while the word challenge implies something to overcome.  When you share 1-2 of your weaknesses, you are demonstrating that you are self-aware and not afraid of challenges, both good things…But don’t stop there.  Follow up with how you compensate for this challenge or what you do to manage or improve on it.  This way you are also showing your potential employer that you are resourceful and a good problem solver.
    
   Lastly, keep in mind that the company has invited you in for the interview because they already think that you CAN do the role.  Your job is to show them WHY they should choose you for the role.  Implementing these 5 steps will get you well on your way to selling yourself successfully, positioning yourself as a strong candidate and as an asset to their organization.    

Wishing you a successful week!