Invest In Your Career–Selling Your Self…in interview

Selling your story during an interview.
In today’s streamline world most interviews are conducted following a review of a resume. So if we have made it to the interview we have already passed the first phase. While the resume provides the company with the information that we may have what it takes to add value to their company (help make them profitable). The purpose of the interview is to help the employer further understand our personality and see if it fits with their company’s culture. The interview also gives the company the opportunity to ensure we have what it takes to help them.

To maximize our chances of moving to the next hiring phase we need to be clear and concise in our presentation. Being able to provide examples that support our values and traits will go a long way in helping the company determine if there is a match. The interview is generally the best chance we have to sell ourselves by telling our story. It is also an opportunity for us to determine if this is a good company for us to work for as well.

Typically an interview has several components;

  • Opening (greeting, purpose, structure)
  • Interviewers questions (credentials, experience, opinion)
  • Interviewee questions (position, company)
  • Close (the next step, appreciations)

According to Trevor Johnson of Bullseye Recruiting we need to: Be prepared, be positive, be enthusiastic, be yourself.