Interview skills are much like everything else in this world where they come easy to some, and are terribly difficult for others, however these skills can in fact be learned. I have to admit that I have become one of those individuals who welcomes interviews, but that is because I have put a lot of practice and hard work into honing in my interview skillset. Thus, I wanted to share my absolute must answer questions to prepare for an interview. They are seemingly easy, yet how you answer and handle yourself when responding to them shows a lot.
“Tell me about yourself.” This isn’t a questions per se, but this comes up in some shape or form in every single interview. I have interviewed with numerous companies and interviewed people more times than I can count, and right off the bat, this questions gives me a lot of answers about the person sitting in front of me.
The key to answering this questions is to have an answer ready that gives a snapshot of who you are and why you want to be there. You don’t want it too long that the interviewer gets bored, but want it long enough that they are intrigued and get a good idea of who you are.
If I were answering this question, my answer would go something along the lines of this:
“I grew up in San Francisco and have always been drawn to both business and fashion. After studying business management economics at UC Santa Cruz, I entered the world of retail where I discovered my true passion for helping people present the best version of themselves. This led me to get certified as a professional resume writer and start Write Styles.”
In my case, I am explaining why I started my business, but if you are interviewing for a position, try ending with how you became interested in the position or the subject matter of the position.
“Tell me about a time you failed.” Again, not a question, but a great way to show your true colors. It’s important to be honest here with both yourself and the interviewer, because it’s never a good idea to lie in an interview, but the key to answering this question is to either spin your failure into a positive light, or to show how this failure lead you to something bigger or better.
My answer would go something like this:
“A couple of years ago, I applied for a position that I thought would be perfect for me. I had all of the qualifications, loved the company, and felt I meshed well with the interviewers. For whatever reason, I ended up not getting the position and was felt like a total failure. I decided to take matters into my own hands to get into a role similar to the one I had applied to and got certified as a resume writer. I spent all of my time cultivating an idea for a business and how I could use my skills to help others feel good about themselves both on paper and in person. If I would have gotten that job, I probably wouldn’t have pushed myself to get certified and start my own business.”
If your failure was that you made a huge mistake at work and oversaw a flaw which cost you the project, discuss how this made you more attentive to detail and discuss what you learned from the situation. No one is perfect and showing that you can learn and grow from your mistakes is more valuable than someone lying and saying that they never make mistakes in the first place.
(If you’re going into sales) “Sell me this pen.” This is an oldie but goodie. Every sales job I have ever applied and interviewed for has asked me to do this, and the key is all about observations. If you’re going into sales, you (hopefully) know by now that the key to selling someone an item is to hone in on their individual wants and needs. For instance, if someone is wearing a shirt with a pocket, explain that you noticed the pocket, and the pen is perfect to keep handy in that pocket so they always have something to write with. Similarly, if you notice someone has a pencil in hand, mention that you see the pencil, but this pen will be more beneficial because of x, y, and z.
I can’t teach you how to be a good salesperson in one blog post, but I can tell you that if you’re going into sales, you should practice selling a pen, or another random object to different people before heading into your interview.
“Why do you want this position and/or why do you want to work at this company?” This question is where your research and effort spent prior to the interview shows through. This is where you express all of the little details that excite you and what company aspects or mission statements you want to utilize to do your (potential) job to the best of your ability.
Take the time and research the company and position. I can’t tell you why you want this job. This answer has to come from within you, but do yourself a favor and really put thought into it. A few extra minutes of thought and research could ultimately be the deciding factor in landing you the job. If it comes to 2 identically qualified candidates, the candidate who cares more, wants it more, and fits in best with company culture will always get the position.
“Why should we hire you?” This is where you show the interviewer how you can benefit them. I had a great marketing teacher in college who told me: “You need to be the solution to their problem.” If you can show the interviewer that you are the solution to a problem they have, you will be able to land the job. Show them that not hiring you is riskier than hiring you on. If you are the solution to their problems, it is a very risky move to turn the solution away. You want to show them that you will meet and exceed their needs, and show them what a great business opportunity it is to hire you.
This is not to say you should be cocky, but you need to show them how you can help them and take some strain or weight off of their shoulders.
So there you have it, these are my must answer questions to prepare for an interview. Do you have any specific questions or questions you think should be on this list? Email me or reach out to me directly!