YOU HAVE POWER IN A JOB INTERVIEW. Here’s how you CLAIM your power in an interview.
One of the frustrations I hear from job seekers is the feeling that they have a lack of power in a job interview; that they are simply the subject of an interview but have little ability to influence the direction of the interview.
Ninety-Five percent of all in-person job interviews begin with the question: “So, can you tell us about yourself?”
For many, this is a daunting question, but it is also the most incredible opportunity for you to control the direction of the interview and increase your chances of getting the job offer.
When answering this question, don’t recite your career history (they already have that in your resume!), but use it as an opportunity to begin explaining how your experiences, accomplishments, talent and success is not only CONNECTED to the role but how your background has LED you to this company.
– Your answer to this question can turn this INTERVIEW into a CONVERSATION (very different things!)
– Your answer to this question can immediately start differentiating yourself from others.
– Your answer to this question can immediately show the interviewer that you have researched the company, the role and how your background, experiences, talent and expertise will add value to their organization.
Use the STAR method to develop your stories about your past experiences, accomplishments, projects and successes.
You are not being cocky or egotistical, you are being confident with specific stories and examples that describe projects and accomplishments, promotions and responsibility, leadership and teamwork. People want to hear authenticity and confidence in their next hires and they want you to share examples from your past to understand how you operate and how you used your talents to succeed.
Your goal is to give the interviewer that ‘ah-ha!’ moment so throughout the interview, they are not asking you canned interview questions, but they are having a REAL CONVERSATION with you! They are imagining you in the role and are silently advocating for you to be their next employee!
YOU GOT THIS!
