Interviewing – What Can You Do for Them?

Tara Klein
Posted by in Career Advice


You've updated your resume, completed the application and landed the interview, now what? If a company decides to bring you in for an interview, they already think you check the boxes for all the required skills and experience. You will be competing with other qualified applicants, so you must find a way to stand out. Your resume got you in the door, but the interview will be what gets you the job offer.

When preparing for an interview, there are various questions that get asked depending on the role you've applied for and the style of the interviewer. A quick search on Nexxt will give you some common  interview questions to help you get ready, but there is one question that you need to answer, even if it's not asked: What value can you bring to the company?

These are a few tips to make sure your interviewer sees not only your experience and skills but also what you will be able to contribute to the team.

1. Show your value through responses and examples.

Anyone can claim to be a problem solver, but it is much more effective to use examples and situations from your experience that demonstrate your strengths. Give an example of a time when you solved a problem and how you did it. Showing them will paint a much more realistic picture of who you are in the workplace and what they can expect from you as an employee. You can come prepared with a few examples of challenges you've overcome, problems you've solved, and failures you've had to learn from.

2. Put your skills and experience in the context of this role.

When you are talking about your experience, make sure it matches the role and the company you are applying to. You must do the extra research and connect the dots clearly to show them how what you've done in the past will apply to the new role. If you can show that you not only have the skills and experience necessary, but also that you understand their needs and how you fit in, you will impress the interviewer.

3. Emphasize your impact

Often, candidates talk about tasks or projects they have worked on, but they leave out the most important part: the results. What impact did that project have on the team or how did your actions drive the business forward? Employers want to know that you can bring a positive impact to their company and the best way to prove that is to show that you're already doing it. Responsibilities and assignments are important, but impact and results are far more telling.

4. Show your soft skills

Employers also want to make sure that you have the soft skills needed to be successful, to fit in the organization and to grow with the company. Make sure to highlight skills like communication, teamwork, and adaptability. Although they can be difficult to measure and even harder to teach, employers know these skills are critical to an employee's long-term success.

Spending the extra time to be prepared and thoughtful for the interview can go a long way. Be confident in your experience, and let the interviewer know that you are ready to make an impact and bring value to their company immediately. 


 

Comment

Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.

  • james F.
    james F.

    99 percent customer service skills from previous job.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Lydia Mclaughlin thanks for your comment. Sorry you didn't have it for your last interview but now you have it in case you need to interview again. So many applicants go into interviews totally unprepared. It's worth spending some extra time prepping for an interview rather than just walking in blindly thinking - oh, this is easy: I got this only to find out that you bombed the interview! All the best on your next interview!

  • Michelle D.
    Michelle D.

    This is very helpful information.

  • Lydia Mclaughlin
    Lydia Mclaughlin

    wish I had read it before my last interview!

  • Barbara W.
    Barbara W.

    thank you for the very useful information

  • Michael L.
    Michael L.

    @Tara Klein great read thanks for the insightful information

  • Mohammed  H.
    Mohammed H.

    Thanks

  • Angela R.
    Angela R.

    Thanks for all the positive feed back an I need all advice possible an really need to land employment.

  • Angela R.
    Angela R.

    Thanks for all the inspira

  • Ali Bidgoli
    Ali Bidgoli

    Great advise... I have employed it at my last phone interview and I was immediately short-listed.

  • You Might Also Be Interested In

article posted by Kymberly Davis in Career Advice

Jobs to Watch