Words that get you hired!

You would have shed most of your efforts to reach to a point where you will be called for an interview. Among applicants of equal ability, what any successful interview intimately comes down to, is giving the right answers to the right questions. Almost anyone can learn to carry off a good interview. All you need to do is simply highlight your strong points.

Sharing some of my thoughts and learnings.

1.     Who are you, really? That’s what your questioner wants to know when he or she greets you with ‘Tell me about yourself’. The interviewer would have already noted whether you arrived on time and appropriately dressed. Now you have to impress with your answers. In a concise, two-minute reply, you might talk about your education and work experience, bridging into why you’re right for for the job including a statement that will make you rememberable. I remember once a person I interviewed for my team, replied me – I have only 1.8 years of experience, but look at my job progression and my side projects. This showed me the confidence he had in himself and how he wanted me to check what his works were.

2.     What made you quit your previous job? The interviewer will be alert for deceptions. Always be direct and quick with a simple straightforward answer. For eg., – ‘the job they put me in wasn’t the one I was hired for, and it didn’t suit me’. Your best answer is always the honest one. 

3.     What can you do for us? – This means the interviewer is seeking evidence that you researched his company. Once a HR recruiter has told me, ‘lack of knowledge about the company and industry are interview turn-offs. Failure to prepare tells me, the person lacks discipline and doesn’t care’. 

4.     What are your strengths? – High energy level? Enthusiasm? Assertiveness? Decisiveness? Maturity? Results? Whatever they are – back your assertions with concrete examples from work or college. One example that I remember – ‘I sold more tickets for the college function than any other student’. My manager was super happy to get him in the team for the confidence and smartness that he had. Never say – ‘ I can do anything you need’. The interviewer will look for more focus related answers.

5.     Now, what are your weakness? Or maybe, Tell me about one of your failures? – ‘I can’t think of any’ – it is probably the most unrealistic answer according to me. Use this question to show how you have profited from your mistake. Eg., Sometimes people mistake my decisiveness for impatience, but I have learner to watch how I express things’. 

6.     What are your most significant accomplishments? – Some people never hire if you cannot list at least one outstanding achievement. Write down what made you proudest in your last 3-5 years. Whenever possible provide numbers to show scope. Eg., By identifying ‘X’ issue, I saved my client from a major server issue. By automating ‘Y’ component, I saved my client with 5hours of manual inputs every week.

7.     Finally, what salary are you looking for? – Don’t bring up pay in the initial interview. But if pressed, don’t quote a low figure, revealing lack of confidence in your worth or ask too much scaring off the prospect. I would say give a range. 

8.     Is there anything you would like to bring up that we haven’t talked about? – This is best time for you to ask about job content, your roles expectation, even to know why there is vacancy fro the position (or why the last person left this job). And as parting words, summarise why you would fit that role effectively. 

Most of these might be so commonly heard, but make sure to work on them effectively. Since most interviews are happening online these days, ensure you practice well, and get on with a bold and smiling face.