Before you begin to prepare for an upcoming job interview, you need to take time to consider your answers to two very specific questions. Thinking about these questions before you interview helps you structure the rest of your interview questions and answers so that they reinforce the message you are trying to present to your interviewer. Answer these two questions in advance, and you'll be more prepared than many other candidates.
The first question you need to answer before you interview is, "Why are you the best person for the job?" You want to include elements like interest, passion and educational history, but you also need to think a bit deeper. What on-the-job experiences have prepared you for this position? What have you specifically experienced that is relevant to this job, and how have your experiences prepared you to handle this job's workload and responsibilities?
Answering the question, "Why are you the best person for this job?" before you interview helps prepare you for many common interview questions. For example, when your interviewer asks you to describe how you handled a conflict in the workplace, you are able to provide an answer that simultaneously describes how your conflict management experience is relevant to the position under consideration.
The second question to answer before you interview is, "What can you do for the company?" Many job seekers approach job interviews as if they were asking what the company can do for them. They're interested in salary, benefits and promotion opportunities. These are all important parts of a job, but focusing your interview on learning how the job benefits you is not the way to get hired.
Instead, you need to take time to think about how you can benefit the company. During the hiring process, interviewers and hiring managers are looking for people who have the skills required to help the company solve a problem, whether it is the problem of keeping a project team on scope and on budget or the problem of providing high-quality reception desk service in a fast-paced office. They are not looking for people who are in it for themselves or who are focused only on salary and benefits.
As Forbes notes: "The surest way to get a new job is to solve someone's problem." Thinking about this question before you interview helps you structure your interview conversation about how you have the skills and talents required to solve the problem the company is currently experiencing.
Answer these two questions before you interview to truly prepare yourself for your conversation with the interviewer and hiring manager. Thinking about these questions in advance and coming up with specific, thoughtful answers puts you ahead of many other candidates and helps you structure the message you present to your interviewer.
(Photo courtesy of Serge Bertasius Photography / freedigitalphotos.net)
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!