What Would You Like Me To Know About You?
50 seconds ago you were seated in Reception, waiting for someone to come out and take you in for the interview. The door opened, and for the first time you saw him or her walk purposely a few steps in your direction, smile, introduce themselves with a handshake and thank you for coming in.
25 seconds ago you were ushered through the door, and once on the other side, taken into an office where the interview is being conducted. After some ice-braking comment about the weather, you both plunged in to the interview; this being a job you really want.
It’s now been 1 minute and 15 seconds and you’ve been asked to essentially introduce yourself. What, you wonder, should you reveal and what your worry, should you conceal?
Okay let’s pause; let’s think about this seriously. What do we want the interview to know about us? Honestly, this shouldn’t be the first time the question crosses our mind. If it is, highly unlikely we’re going to share something brilliant. No, more likely we’ll say something and then later we’ll wonder why on earth we chose to share what we did. Without some forethought, we might even blurt out something which, gauging from their reaction, snuffed out any chance of getting the job right at question one. From there, our confidence and the job were lost, neither one to be ever regained.
So what do we want them to know about us? Hmm….
Well, this isn’t a casual conversation between friends. This is a job interview; one of those times we need to be at our best – professional and personable. We’re being evaluated on both fronts; from a professional standpoint how are we qualified and from a personable standpoint, how are we likely to fit in? This make sense to you? Hope so, because you’ve got one shot at this first impression, and not to get you all anxious, but these first few seconds and minutes are crucial. If they like you, you’re off to a good start, but if you fail to make a good impression early on, it’s going to be an uphill challenge to change their mind and time is of the essence!
If you think about the posting or job ad, it’s probable that it contained something like, “Here’s what you bring”, “We’re looking for…” or “The ideal candidate will…”. If you’ve read these summaries prior to the interview; a few times in fact, hopefully you’ve found yourself matching up well. It would stand to reason that if what you’ve got is a close match to what they’re looking for, the odds of things going well is in your favour. So choosing to state your education, experience and personable attributes as they relate to the job makes sense.
Be genuine however! A good interviewer will have heard enough other people use the old, “I’m the perfect fit you’re looking for”, introduction when they’ve been everything but. If you only pay lip service to the requirements and are a poor fit, they’ll know by assessing your body language, darting eye contact, and they’ll listen for inconsistencies and weaknesses in your answers.
Those who interview well know the importance of sharing their education and experience as they align with the requirements of the position. However, it’s not just saying, “I’ve got a degree in Engineering and my Health and Safety training” that’s going to impress them if those two are job requirements. What sets you apart from others who have similar qualifications is stating what you’ve got AND how those translate into a benefit for the employer.
“I’ve a recently obtained degree in Engineering and my Health and Safety certification. The Engineering Degree covered recent changes and best practices in the field, and the Health and Safety training updated and replaced some older practices. Both the Degree and the Certificate assure you I’ll be operating at industry standards.”
Notice the difference in the two answers. The first is simply stating what you’ve got as it relates to a job posting. The second answer not only states what you have, but responds to WHY the employer wanted them in the first place and HOW these benefit them in meeting their needs.
The second answer is still not complete however. You’d do well to share some of your current and past experiences as they relate to the job. This is your opportunity to talk about the motivation that brought you to the interview, and some genuine excitement for the position would be welcome.
Now, think too not just about the content of what you share but the way you share it. If you’re excited about this opportunity and really want it, communicate this not only with your words but your facial expression and your body language. As you speak of accomplishments you’ve had, your strengths and things you’ve overcome, you want to smile as you recall pleasant moments when your skills were recognized, and your achievements appreciated. Employers want to hire people who will be a pleasure to work with.
Examples that show and prove your claims of experience are crucial. My own experience is that this is the one key area people generally fail in. What they think are examples are really just summations and general practices. Zero in on specific times you demonstrated what you’re talking about.
What would you want them to know about you? This is your chance!