Somewhere along the way, you’ve probably gotten into your head that you need to use “stock phrases” to describe yourself in an interview. Phrases that sound good on the surface, but may not get into too many specifics. Like these:
“I’m a problem solver.” That’s great. So, who is going to go into an interview and claim “I create problems for others”? Or, “I’m easily confounded by problems”?
[See: The 8 Stages of a Winning Job Search.]
“I’m a dynamic worker.” Who doesn’t want to hire dynamic people? But, then again, who is going to say about themselves, “I’m a slug, and just kind of plod along till I get to 5 p.m.”? Here’s a tip: If saying the opposite would make absolutely no sense for anyone, understand that you aren’t doing much to make yourself shine when you use stock phrases. And they definitely aren’t phrases hiring managers want to hear.
Face it: People who conduct job interviews have likely heard it all before. And when you offer common assertions, claims and banalities you are more likely to get a polite smile than an invitation to go forward in the hiring process.
Successful candidates will take the time and put in the effort to figure out what it is that employers really seek in stellar candidates when hiring someone.
Be specific. When you speak in nebulous generalities, employers are likely to question if you even know what you are talking about. And they certainly will have no way to understand what you’ve actually done in your career. Give numbers, percentages, tell what you’ve done and how you’ve done it.
Instead of claiming you are dynamic, show it. For example:
“My boss commended my dynamic efforts in boosting sales of the record number of widgets last year. I helped to reenergize my colleagues by organizing events that fostered community and inspired collaboration in future sales.”
[See: 15 Awesome Jobs That Pay More Than $90K.]
Talk About Results. Very few people act in a vacuum. If you can’t identify what the impact was of your actions, think again! If you are in sales, it’s all about the numbers. You might say something like: “The friendly competition I spurred enabled everyone on our team to beat our 2015 numbers, and contributed to the best sales numbers our company has seen in the last 10 years.”
Of course, not everyone can quantify their results. Even still, that doesn’t mean you didn’t make an impact. Perhaps what you did enabled other people to do their job better. Maybe you helped to improve a product, a process or a service your company provides, making life better for your company’s clients or customers. Maybe you improved how things are measured, understood and reported to management, stakeholders or stockholders.
Give Yourself a Context. While it is important to shed light on your accomplishments, that isn’t enough. Let’s say that you sold X widgets. That’s all well and good, but it only becomes meaningful when you put it into a larger framework like, “I sold X widgets, beating my quota by Y percent and ranking me 23rd among 5,000 salespeople throughout the U.S.”
[See: 10 Ways to Perfect Your Personal Brand.]
Keep in Mind That Interview Questions Are Tied to Employer’s Objectives. Employers generally have a very solid understanding of what it takes to get a job done well, including the competencies necessary for successful work. At the same time, they often can’t directly ask you if you are competent in this or that skill area. Their solution will be to ask a series of behavioral interview questions that begin, “Tell me about a time when” or something similar.
You can expect questions that will force you to reveal how you have used key skills and personal attributes like collaboration, leadership, planning and problem solving, ethical behavior, research and a host of others. You should carefully analyze the job description before you interview, and come up with stories you can easily and truthfully tell that depict your competencies and personality characteristics.
Happy hunting!
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4 Ways to Improve Your Interviewing Success originally appeared on usnews.com
