You're interviewing for a manufacturing job. How can you demonstrate your adaptability?

2 How to prepare for the interview

Before the interview, you should research the company and the specific role you're applying for. Find out what kind of manufacturing methods, tools, and systems they use, and what their goals and values are. This will help you understand what they're looking for in a candidate, and how you can align your skills and experience with their needs. You should also review your resume and think of examples that demonstrate your adaptability in previous jobs or projects.

3 How to answer behavioral questions

Behavioral questions are commonly used to assess your adaptability and soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and leadership. Examples of these questions include: 'How did you learn a new skill or technology in your previous role?', 'How did you cope with a change in your work environment or schedule?', 'How did you solve a problem or improve a process in your previous role?', and 'How did you deal with a difficult customer or coworker in your previous role?'. To answer these questions effectively, it is recommended to use the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. This means that you should explain the context of the challenge or opportunity you faced, the task or goal you had to achieve or the problem you had to solve, the action or steps you took to complete the task or solve the problem, and finally, the result or outcome of your action and how it benefited you, your team, or your employer. By using this method, you can provide clear and concise answers that demonstrate your adaptability and accomplishments.

4 How to ask insightful questions

Asking questions at the end of the interview is a great way to demonstrate your adaptability and interest in the company and role. It's important to prepare some questions in advance, but also be ready to ask follow-up questions based on the information you learned during the interview. For example, you could inquire about current or upcoming challenges and opportunities in their manufacturing process or sector, how they support employees in learning new skills or technologies, how they measure and reward performance and improvement in their team, as well as best practices or innovations they admire or implement. Asking insightful questions will demonstrate that you are curious, proactive, and eager to learn and contribute.

5 How to follow up after the interview

Following up after the interview is a good way to reinforce your adaptability and your enthusiasm for the job. You should send a thank-you email to the interviewer within 24 hours, expressing your appreciation for their time and consideration, and highlighting your main qualifications and fit for the role. You should also mention something specific that you learned or discussed during the interview, and restate your interest in working for the company. This will show that you're attentive, respectful, and adaptable to feedback and information.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?