One Step to Ace Your Interview
Posted by ayeshawrites4u on August 10, 2009
Your interview will get you a job. There is really no big secret here. We know your cover letter and resume open the door for the interview. We know that after the interview, following up will let the employer know that you are still interested and will keep you fresh in his mind. But really, once you are in front of your employer, it is time to put the nail in the coffin.
So why do people fail to impress their employers during their interview?
Simple! They forget about their most valuable asset as an employee – their unique value proposition. Your unique value proposition also known as your UVP is the quality that you possess that differentiates you from the competition. An employer wants to know that out of the hundreds of candidates applying for a position, you are the best.
How do you let an employer know that you are the best?
Come prepared with your unique value proposition already written out on a notepad. There are two ways of doing this:
- List three qualities you feel make you a great candidate such as being visionary, team-oriented, or a trouble-shooter.
- Come prepared with three scenarios that identify your qualities. Each of these scenarios should follow the three tiered approach I call problem, solution, impact. Using this approach, you think of three situations where your previous company had a problem that you or your team solved and the impact it had on the company.
Which method is the best?
I suggest doing both. When you list your three unique values, under each one should be a Problem, Solution, Impact scenario demonstrating that quality at work.
For example, as a teacher, I felt that one of my strongest traits was motivating children to succeed.
The scenario I would use to demonstrate my unique value proposition of motivation would be:
When I was in the classroom as an elementary teacher, students were not reading the mandated 25 books a year that were expected of them by the school (problem). After speaking with several teachers, I discovered the problem was that many teachers were only checking the number of books read right before report card time, leaving the children with approximately three months of unaccountability between each report card period. To fix this problem, I decided to hold reading conferences with every child each week and to have them hold on to their books until I had recorded them being finished. This way, I was able to track their reading and intercept if there was a problem (solution). By the end of the school year, all of my students had read the 25 books and at least one-third had read over 50 books. Their reading levels also jumped three to four levels and they all left reading above grade level (impact).
Notice that by having your three unique values and those three scenarios written out in this format, you can be prepared to answer several “tricky” interview questions such as:
Tell me more about yourself.
Answer: I often look for situations where I can troubleshoot. For example…
Can you think of a time you noticed a problem and you solved it?
Answer: Actually, yes. In fact, just last year there was a situation where…
Why do you think you should be hired above all the other candidates?
Answer: I have the ability to notice a problem and to offer solutions where I can not only utilize my talents, but also unite the entire team to work on a cause. For example…
What do you think is your best quality as an employee?
Answer: As an employee, I believe that it is my job to support the organization towards increased productivity and effectiveness. I often look for ways to eliminate problems and to promote efficiency. In fact…
What is your worst quality?
Answer: I sometimes have the ability to rock the boat if I notice that something is amiss. For example…
With each of these questions, you have an answer because you know your unique value proposition as an employee. You can ace any interview because you know what differentiates you from the competition. Your competitors will not be as prepared and will stumble around these questions. Yet, you will be poised, confident, and prepared, which are all the traits an employer looks for in a prospective employee.
As always, good luck with your job search.
Ayesha Long
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