Your role as a job seeker is to showcase your skills and qualifications during a job interview while also highlighting your personality and eagerness to join the firm. However, if you provide responses to interview questions that are too general, common or vague, it's likely the hiring manager sees right through the strategy. Show that you are original by avoiding these types of answers during your first meeting with a potential employer.
Providing Personal Information
One of the most common conversation starters during a job interview involves the question "Tell me about yourself?" This is not your cue to divulge personal information; however, many applicants do. Avoid talking about your family, marital status, health or even activities and hobbies that offer too much information about your personal life. This information is not relevant to the position and can lead to discrimination or unwarranted assumptions about your commitment to the job. Instead, focus on your professional experience, provide examples of success from former positions and detail how you are consistently working to improve and polish your skills related to the industry.
Stating the Obvious
Employers want to know if you've done your homework before the job interview. In fact, they may even ask you what you know about the firm. Avoid providing information that is obvious and can be found with just a quick scan of the company's website. Do not detail the products and services provided by the company, as this is often common knowledge. Instead, show that you have thoroughly researched the firm, and cite operational strategies employed that you admire. Show that you are impressed with innovations the company is known for in the industry. Spend time during your job search connecting with current employers and following the company's social media accounts so you are armed with information that is designed to impress employers during the job interview.
Offering a Weak Weakness
While many candidates fear that revealing their weaknesses can hurt their chances of getting hired, offering a weakness that is too cliché or common is not the best choice. Responses such as "I'm a perfectionist" or "I work too hard" show that you are not being completely honest with the employer. These types of interview questions are tricky, but it's best to be honest about a skill you are working to improve. For example, you could detail a software program that you are familiar with, yet you have not yet achieved proficiency. Explain during the job interview that you are actively working to improve and gain proficiency.
A generic resume and cover letter from a template are easy to spot. However, providing generic, common answers to questions during a job interview are also obvious. Show your originality, and provide responses that are honest and outside of the box to improve your chances of landing a job.
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