Interview Preparation? Consider TODAY.
In the job hunt, making it to interview marks a major milestone. It’s the opportunity to highlight your skills and experience, and have prospective employers understand who you are.
Showcasing this effectively takes a little preparation, interview preparation. If you’re looking for a simple strategy, experts suggest it all comes down to considering TODAY.
The TODAY strategy
As outlined by the Victorian Government’s Youth Central website, the TODAY strategy involves keeping five things in mind during your interview preparation to help you stay focused and offer clear answers which reflect you in the best light.
TODAY stands for:
T – Teamwork
O – Obstacles
D – Duties
A – Achievements
Y – Your strengths and weaknesses
Teamwork
Most workplaces involve operating as part of a team. Before you enter any interview, have a few examples of how you have successfully been part of and contributed to a group.
Examples could include previous employment, sporting teams, school groups, charity work or more. It’s all about illustrating how well you work alongside others to achieve a group goal.
Obstacles
This area is about how well you solve problems, which is an essential attribute in life as well as the workplace. Think of examples of when you’ve encountered an obstacle and how you worked to overcome it.
Scenarios may include a subject at school that challenged you, where you achieved through study, or personal setbacks that you overcame. The most important element of obstacle-related questions is the strategies you used to ensure a positive outcome.
Duties
Duties refers to tasks you had to undertake as part of any previous employment. It’s about outlining your experience, so be clear about the tasks you undertook in the roles you had in the past.
Were you required to deal with customers, were you required to handle orders, or was part of your job leading a team? All these duties are of interest to an employer because they highlight the proven experience you have and the tasks you are capable of.
Achievements
This is your opportunity to shine by outlining the major successes you have had in your professional and personal life.
Examples of achievements include promotions, awards, leadership positions or major accomplishments. Employers want to know about achievements as they can allow you to stand out from a crowd of applicants.
Your strengths and weaknesses
This question is one that many people find challenging to answer and the art lies in ensuring your weaknesses have a positive outcome as well.
Strengths might be personality traits like being a good communicator or leader. They might include your ability to master computer skills quickly or the fact you’re a good listener.
When talking about weaknesses it’s about identifying areas where you might struggle in a job, but also outlining how you will address them. So, you might indicate you have no customer service experience, but you’re a good with people.
The best way to nail a job interview it to prepare and consider the questions that might come your way. TODAY is a great strategy to assist.
About us
The Father James Grant Foundation offers willing young job seekers four-week programs aimed at providing the workplace and life skills you need to find a job. To learn more about our Mission Engage Programs and the renowned businesses we work with, see here.