|
 |
|
Why Should We Hire You?
This is one of those broad questions that can take you down the wrong road unless you have done some thinking about what to say ahead of time. This question deals with your ability to sell yourself. Think of yourself as the product. Why should the customer buy? Answers that WON'T WORK - 'Because I need a job.' -- This answer is about YOU -- 'they' want to know what you can do for 'them.' 'I am a hard worker.' -- This is a really trite answer -- almost anyone can say he or she is a hard worker. 'I saw your ad and could do the job.' -- This answers lacks passion and purpose. STRONGER ANSWERS that would get the interviewer's attention -- 'Because I have three years experience working with customers in a very similar environment.' 'Because I have what it takes to fill the requirements of this job - solve customer problems using my excellent customer service skills.' 'Because I have the experience and expertise in the area of customer support that is required in this position.' This is a time to let the customer (the interviewer) know what your product (YOU) can do for them and why they should listen to what you have to offer. The more detail you give the stronger your answer will be. This is not a time to talk about what you want. It is a time to summarize your accomplishments and relate what makes you unique and therefore a viable fit for this position. Product Inventory Exercise Start by looking at the job description or posting. What is the employer emphasizing as requirements of the job? What will it take to get the job done? Make a list of those requirements on one side of a piece of paper. Next, do an inventory to determine what you have to offer as a fit against those requirements. List your skills on the other side of the paper. Think of two or three key qualities you have to offer that match each requirement that the employer is seeking. Don't underestimate personal traits that make you unique -- your energy, personality type, working style, and people skills. The Sales Pitch -- You are the Solution From the list of requirements and your matching list of what you have to offer, merge the two into a summary statement. This is your sales pitch. It should be no more than two minutes long and should stress the traits that make you unique and a good match for the job. Example 'With my seven years of experience working with financial databases, I have saved companies thousands of dollars by streamlining systems. My high energy, and quick learning style enable me to hit the ground running and rapidly size up problems. I have the ability to stay focused in stressful situations, and can be counted on when the going gets tough. I know I would be a great addition to your team.' Preparing this statement ahead of the interview will give you the edge when asked questions like, 'Why should we hire you?' or 'What can you bring to this position?' This will be your chance to let the interviewers know that you are the solution to their problem. About The Author Carole Martin is a celebrated author, trainer, and an interview coach. Her books, 'Interview Fitness Training Workbook' and 'Boost Your Interview IQ' (McGraw Hill) have sold thousands of copies world-wide. Receive Carole's FREE 9-week job interview e-course by visiting her web site at: http://www.interviewcoach.com or http://www.interviewfitnesstraining.com.
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Work Is A Four-Letter Word I can hear the jokes already and most of them are not politically correct. Let me throw out a word that we often don't attach to work and yet I think it is a word of redemption, of contribution, of achievement, of community, and ultimately, of legacy. Business Experience is YOUR Security Cover Some may want to interpret "independent" to mean WITHOUT others. None of us are truly independent or able to make it in life alone. All of us depend on family. Friends. Our church family. Schoolmates. Business associates. And others. The Myths of Career Change Chances are you already have many ideas about what it takes to successfully transition into a new career, even if you have never done it before. Some of those ideas might be useful ? most probably are not. In this article I would like to expose The Myths of Career Change, which might actually be holding you back. The Night Worker In the process of musing about our perennially awake world for my Social Psych blog, I started to think about our present work world and how its operations have changed the lives of millions of workers. The #1 Job Search Mistake To Avoid: Not Preparing Your Mind! Mental preparation is probably your most important task as you proceed in your job search. This not only needs to be worked on right from the start, but also on an ongoing basis. How to Become a Successful Freelance Translator After completing their translation training programmes at higher professional education or university level, many students can't wait to set up as a freelance translator. However, gaining a foothold as a freelancer in a very competitive translation market may turn out to be a pretty complicated business. Translation agencies are not usually keen on contracting inexperienced translators, business clients are difficult to find without commercial tools, and the tax authorities won't just accept anyone as a self-employed person. So what do you need to do to set up shop as a successful freelance translator? Make Your Career Offshore Proof There has been a lot of talk recently about American jobs moving overseas?offshoring is the buzzword for it. During difficult economic times it is often easy to find a scapegoat to blame for a downturn in jobs. While government reports and politicians try to downplay the impact, offshoring is something to take seriously. This article will discuss the permanent effect offshoring will have on U.S. jobs and what you can do to make sure it doesn't happen to you. Job Hunting Tips: Containing Anxiety It hangs from the ceiling above your bed while you toss through the night hours. It waits inside the door of every employment office you enter. It dogs your footsteps as you pound the job search pavement. It lounges in an empty chair as you crawl through another desultory interview. It sits on your shoulder while you balance your checkbook's alarmingly diminishing balance. We Rejected Your Résumé Today Hi, I am Mr. Employer. Little Mistakes That Keep You Unemployed If your job search is dragging on and on, you might want to look in the mirror. Because the person looking back may be sabotaging your efforts. What You Cant Ask a Job Candidate is as Important as What You Can Ask As a human resources professional or business owner, you face many challenges during the hiring process, from sorting through stacks of job applicant résumés to making an attractive offer to the one person you believe best matches the specifications of your open position's job description. The whole procedure is more than time-consuming; it can be stressful as well. Job Interviews -- What Your Pre-Interview Research Should Cover When you go in for a job interview, you're not just a candidate seeking a job. You're a potential problem solver and contributor. To play that role effectively, you must be armed with the right kind of information. That's what pre-interview research is all about. Serious Business Networking As they always say "It's not what you know, it's who you know." How Can You Find Freelance Writing Jobs? Do you think that there is a big sign that reads, "Freelance Writing Jobs, Apply Within"? There just is not. In fact, you may have a hard time finding writing jobs of any type advertised in any employment magazine or newspaper either. So, how do you find freelance writing jobs? Let us talk about this for a moment and see if we can't find an idea or two that will work for you. Factual Employment Screening Part 1 We have all heard in recent years that the need for a substantive policy of conducting pre-and post-employment background checks exists in more than just defense contractor and fiduciary-based enterprises. Today, with the overwhelming preponderance of employer liability litigation, and with negligent hiring being the focal point of round-table discussions of some of the plaintiff's firms, the need for thorough background checks has been substantiated. This is a common sense perspective, not only from the standpoint of getting the best possible people for the job, but also to protect a company form this type of litigation. How to Recoup From Missing the Most Important Meeting of the Year Sometimes missing a critical meeting just can't be helped. Despite the advance planning, you just cannot make it to the meeting. Before you get out the guilt stick and beat yourself up about how stupid that was or how bad it's going to be for your career, take a step back and examine how to overcome your absence. Just a Series of Choices Steve's a pretty regular guy ? wife, 4 kids in their blended family, 12+ years of engineering experience, a degree, mortgage, car payments, some debt? and feeling depressed because he waited to look till the end. Last time he transitioned was 5 years ago for more money and he liked some of the people and it was simple?this time he's heard some in his professional association have been looking for almost a year...and they weren't lightweights. No wonder he's sweating. Managing The Boss Is Essential To Career Success Your boss is the gatekeeper of your career. Unless you are able to manage a positive relationship with him at each step in your career you will fall short of your potential. Why Choose A Professionally Written Resume? Good question, considering that nowadays you can find many useful resources to help you write your own resume (including many located at http://www.impressive-resumes.com). Ten Resume Writing Tips You Can?t Live Without For some job opening, employers receive hundreds and even thousands of resumes. When you are looking for a job, how can you best promote yourself? How can you convince a prospective employer to pick-up the phone and call you for an interview?
|
| home | site map |
| © 2008 |
