Are You Underselling Your Qualifications in the Interview?

If you find yourself called in for multiple interviews, yet haven't received any job offers, it's likely that underselling qualifications could be the culprit. A job interview requires candidates to sell their skills and show the hiring manager how they can positively impact the company. Learn how applicants often sabotage opportunities and neglect to put strengths in the spotlight when interviewing for positions.

Unorganized Chaos

Even if you are the most qualified candidate for a position, if your application materials are disorganized or sloppy, you are thwarting your chances of obtaining employment. Polish your resume so it lists your skills and experience in an organized fashion. Put positions in chronological order to display continuous employment and create divided sections to clarify your skills from your experience. Your resume and cover letter should have a clear theme for a hiring manager to follow, which may ultimately prompt him to request a job interview to further discuss your skills. Applicants who hide or bury their strengths on resumes are at a disadvantage.

Organize your responses prior to a job interview, too. Utilizing your resume, outline what you view as the most relevant skills pertaining to the position and highlight scenarios and examples that illustrate your performance. Avoid sounding like a robot by injecting your personality into responses to interview questions and take cues from the interviewer to adjust your body language appropriately.

Uninteresting Generalities

Underselling qualifications often results from using general language when explaining your job duties and achievements. A candidate who solely rambles off a list of tasks is not offering the potential employer an opportunity to view how she can make an impact on the job. Go beyond general statements that list your skills and discuss situations that illustrate how you have used these skills to improve workflow, productivity and client relations. Stray from using generic terms during the job interview, such as "good" or "great." Instead, use descriptive words that show your excitement about the industry and accomplishments within previous positions.

Unprepared Plans

Employers want to gauge how you envision your future with the firm. Applicants who are unable to articulate a plan for their professional future are less likely to leave a positive impression. Evaluate your reasons for wanting to work within the industry, specifically for the employer. Research the company prior to the job interview to assess the goals and mission of the firm. Further evaluate how your personal and professional goals match the company's goals so that you can detail these similarities when meeting with a hiring manager.

Your qualifications need to be in the spotlight when meeting with potential employers. Prepare for your job interview by thoroughly assessing your skills that are related to the position so you can present yourself in a professional manner to ultimately impress the employer.

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