It is to be expected that you’ll be asked to provide tangible examples of things that you have achieved in a job interview. Indeed, asking for concrete evidence and examples is one of the two main ways that interviewers can check for ‘competency’ and that the claims you are making are indeed true. Drawing on my work training my coaching clients for upcoming job interviews, here are some ideas that will help you be ready and prepared for your next job interview.
- Anticipate | By looking at the Job Spec, listening to the brief from the recruiter, and reflecting on what you may have learned from the previous interviewer (if this is not your first interview with this firm), work out what areas are likely to be examined. Study the ‘essential’ and ‘desired’ criteria closely, and put yourself in the shoes of the interviewer: what questions would you ask in order to elicit whether or not you meet the requirements?
- Clear and accurate | Ensure that your examples are entirely accurate and make it clear what your role and contribution was in the achievement of a particular goal by the team you were in. They are interested in your role, not just the collective effort. Interviewers are sensitive to the difference between ‘We’ and ‘I’ statements and want to know specifically what you did.
- Structured | All stories have a beginning, middle and end, so use that structure to make it easy for the interviewer to follow. Have a clear ‘set up’ which explains the problem, what needed to be achieved, and why it was so important. You can then move on to explaining your actions and the outcome.
- Draw them in | It’s possible to hold a listener’s attention by adding a little drama, without being melodramatic or untruthful. For example, perhaps the first plan that you devised did not work. You can highlight your ingenuity and resourcefulness (without having to say ‘I am resourceful’, which is a little basic) by explaining how you came up with another / better plan whilst under the pressure of the deadline.
- Details and context | Use names, dates, numbers and percentages (without being indiscreet) to give the example context and make it more real. People remember stories and it’s a good way to make sure you’re remembered.
- Questions | Ask questions of the interviewer during the recounting of your tale to hold their attention, such as ‘Have you found that as well?’.
- Impact | Close it off with a clear explanation of what the result was and the positive impact on each of the stakeholders and perhaps some lessons learned. We are looking for real impact here, so make sure you emphasise your worth.
By using this simple checklist, you should have a number of great and tangible examples that explain how you can bring value to the job and to the position you are interviewing for. This structure will prevent you disappearing off into rabbit holes. You will be able to grab the imagination of the interviewer and allow them to see how you will fit into their business and be a strong member of the team.
If you are preparing for an upcoming interview and would benefit from some coaching, do get in touch to arrange a Free Coaching Call.
