More Than Just Your Time to Talk

Interviews are your time to shine, if you cast the light in the right direction

You’ve probably heard it said that, in most cases, you really don’t have an opportunity to “sell” yourself until you’re in the job interview. That’s where you can state your case as to why you’re the best candidate for the job.

That said, while you’re doing all this talking, are you saying all the right things? Here’s a quick checklist.

1. Are you talking about your job? Ask yourself what the interviewer really cares most about – your job or how well you did it?

2. Are you talking about your job responsibilities or the results and accomplishments you produced during your previous job?

3. Are backing up your claims with hard facts? Facts, numbers and percentages can go a long way to portraying your performance.

4. Have you chosen your pronouns carefully? We’re not talking about “pronouns” in the GenZ, contemporary sense. It’s more like, are you using “I” or “we”? We’re guessing that the interviewer is more concerned about what you did as opposed to what the team accomplished. How were you more than just a cog in the wheel?

5. Are you thinking only about yourself during the interview? Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Employers are selfish. They’re not concerned about you, they want to know what value you’re going to bring to their company. Also keep in mind that you’re not the only one they’re interviewing.

6. Have you adequately stated your value proposition? Employers want to add value with every hire. Have you convinced them that you can be of value to the organization and not just a body to fill a position?

It’s not just talking during the interview. Are you saying the right things? Are you saying what the interviewer wants to hear? Are you making a case for yourself or just mouthing tired, old cliches?

More tips.