Talent: How to Answer Interview Questions

Who are we in an interview?  Mostly, we are the things we say.  There are so many things about yourself you can communicate in an interview, but how you describe your strengths and traits, and the examples you use, help to reassure the interviewer your answers are authentic.

Some tips for communicating your strengths:

 Find your strengths using a helpful guide or you can write a list of strengths yourself.  Your strengths may include - education or training abilities (specific task orientated strength e.g. computer language etc.)personal attributes or traits (team building, negotiating, communication, leadership)experiences in the work place.

Create detailed examples of how you use these skills in the workplace, also include previous stories and examples.  Behavioural questions will need specific examples of how you acted in your job and your behavioural answers are a good time to share your strengths.

Be specific to the job description.  When preparing your strengths you will need to tailor them to the current job vacancy. Practice a model answer so you can be ready!

Model answer.   

(1.) Describe your strength.  

(2.) Define it.  

(3.) Discuss an example of how you used it.

Model answer:

(1.)  I have strong presentation skills.

(2.)  I have excellent communication skills and am able to present to both small and large groups of people.  

(3.) For example, I was the lead quarterly presenter to a number of small user groups within my organisation.  These presentations included a PowerPoint display, internet capability, explanation and discussion on the topic at hand and a feedback channel for attendees.  I was also asked to be the lead presenter at the recent Technology Leadership Conference, with an audience of 1500 people.  This was quite an undertaking and my data and PowerPoint presentation was given excellent feedback.  On this basis I was booked for the next conference!

Selling yourself in an interview means that you need to be confident about who you are and how you integrate yourself into your workplace.  It is important that you are authentic, don't make up strengths you don't have, but also don't be shy about what you can do.  

Preparing for a job interview and defining your strengths will give you the confidence to talk about yourself; however, the best test we can have is discussing your strengths with another person before your big day.  Ask for feedback and ask them to tell you what they think are your best attributes.  This will increase your self awareness and provide a deeper level of authenticity.

You were born for a purpose.  Understanding your strengths helps you to share your specific gifts with the wider world.  Having excellent self awareness ensures you are comfortable with yourself and free to enhance the world in which you work.  Peace be with you on your personal growth journey.

#InterviewQuestions #Strengths #BehaviouralQuestions #SpokeInsight