By the time you have made it to the interview room, your prospective employer should have a good idea of what skills and experience you are bringing to the table.
However, the interview offers you an opportunity to truly sell yourself to the employer and showcase what separates you from the competition. In order to do that, you have to be able to sell your experience as a key differentiator.
In Your Introduction
Chances are, you will be asked to share a little about yourself at the beginning of the interview. This is the perfect opportunity to wow them with a brief introduction.
Create an introduction that highlights your key skills, credentials, background and style. Keep it short and make it interesting. A good introduction should truly engage the interviewers and hopefully, lead them to ask questions pertaining to your experience and guide the flow of the interview.
Pick Out Top Experiences and Achievements
Use your resume as a guide to develop a list of specific experiences and accomplishments you have had throughout your career that make you stand out from the competition. Look at each of your past employment and educational experiences and try to think of several examples of problems you faced and how you used your strengths to solve them. Examine all aspects of the situation; the who, what, when, where and why of it. It may be helpful to create a worksheet for yourself to follow as you are developing your stories. Be as specific as possible and if you have been in the workforce for a long time try to pull from different experiences and show the breadth and depth of your skills and background.
In addition to showing how well you have solved various problems in the past, try to highlight some of your credentials. Showcase successful projects you have completed and any significant milestones you may have had throughout your career. Be prepared to discuss any educational accomplishments or specializations you have that pertain to the job you are interviewing for.
Keep It Positive
You always want to present your experiences in a positive tone. Although some of the examples you use may pertain to a negative situation that you encountered, try not to dwell on that. Keep your stories upbeat and focus on your strengths and approach to remedying a tough situation. Highlight the positive of the situation and steer away from spending too much time on the negative.
Emphasize Your Passion
Show that you are passionate about what you do. Convey confidence in your work without sounding cocky. As you are sharing the stories of your experience bring them to life by exuding positive energy and a sense of pride in your work.
Preparation is Key
It all comes down to being prepared. Take the time before your interview to plan the perfect introduction and gather solid examples to share. Practice makes perfect; set up a mock interview with a friend or family member to help ensure you are ready to go on interview day.
Let Us Help with Your Next Interview Prep
At SMCI, we regularly connect people with job opportunities and help them in applying to those opportunities. If you could use some assistance with your application process, please contact us today to find out how we can help.
