Get prepared for your next interview with the Interview Question of the Week.
It's that time again. Time for the Interview Question of the Week!
When you are looking for a new job, getting prepared for your interview is key for making yourself stand out from the crowd. So, to help you get ready, each week we take a typical interview question and break it down to make it easier to come up with an answer.
So, here it is, the Interview Question of the Week.
Question:
I'm concerned that you don't have as much experience as we would like in (skill)
Why it's a trap:
This isn't a question, but when an interviewer says this the stakes get high. This is going to be the moment where you either convince the interviewer that you have what it takes to perform the job, or they decide to keep looking for someone more qualified.
The fact that they are even saying this is a good sign. It means that, for the most part, they really like what they are seeing so far. By expressing doubt about one area, you have the chance to assure them that you are the best choice.
Best Answer:
There is the old saying that being forewarned is being forearmed, and with questions like this, it is definitely true. This isn't a moment where trying to stammer your way through it is going to work. So, before you go to any interview, take an honest look at the job, the job requirements and your skills, trying to determine where the weak points are. From that point, try to come up with the best defense. If you are prepared for this ahead of time, you will look assured and confident, which will score you big points with the interviewer.
Once you know where your weak points are, you can then take the focus off of your weaker spots and focus on your unique combination of skills.
For example, when an interviewer objects to your experience level in a certain area, this is what you should do:
- Agree that the skill is important
- Explain that your strength may be greater than it would seem on your resume because …
- That it is the combination of your specific strengths that is the most important
- Mention again the areas where you are the strongest, that match up the best with the needs of the company.
By approaching the concern this way, you are giving the interviewer reasons why you aren't as weak as they may have earlier thought. What's more, your are taking the focus away from this area of concern and drawing attention to your combination of skills and experience.
What do you think about this question? How would you have answered it differently? Let me know in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for ManufacturingWorkersBlog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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