There are some people who are good at talking about themselves, but most of us feel uncomfortable during job interviews. When trying to find a job, you can’t do it well right away, let alone at the interview stage, if you don’t know how to convey to potential employers the idea that you are the one they need.
It’s important to understand what might interest a potential employer in inviting you for an interview or making a decision about employment. You may already have skills, capabilities, and experience that you gained before you graduated that are highly valued by employers.
However, just skills, experience and knowledge are not enough – you need to be able to talk about them. To find out how to answer this question correctly, you should read this article from layboard.in . Think about how to talk about your own experiences, how to relate them to future job responsibilities and team roles .
How do you talk about your experience?
Speak specifically, with an emphasis on efficiency.
The most important thing is to try to put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes and understand what he or she would be interested in learning about you. Think about what exactly he or she might be looking for when reading a profile or resume. Of course, they are interested in basic information about you, your qualifications, and so on.
But when it comes to your experience, capabilities and skills, what exactly sets you apart from other candidates? What value does your experience have for you and your future team?
Most employers try to get a holistic view of the candidate. They are interested in your accomplishments, but more importantly, they want to see how successfully you have applied your skills and knowledge. Do you have examples of successful projects?
When you talk about your experience, remember this principle: it’s not the “what” that matters, but the “how. When you talk about your accomplishments, think about exactly how you achieved your goals. What path you took to succeed. Is there anything noteworthy about it that might impress an employer
Remember, it is important for employers to understand how your experience reflects on your communication skills, teamwork ability, and other social skills and, in particular, how it demonstrates your ability to solve problems.If possible, try to put your accomplishments into numbers.
If you have had an internship or participated in a project as a volunteer, consider the following:
- How many participants were on your team?
- How many end-users did you influence?
- Was there a deadline for the project? If so, how long did it take you to reach your goals?
Compare “I was involved in a large-scale project for an international organization” and “we had five participants on our team with different responsibilities, and we were able to provide access to 1,000 employees in four working days.”
Why does it matter?
It shows the employer that you can see the bigger picture. You’re already thinking about how to match the tasks you solve with the needs of the larger organization.
- Don’t be overconfident!
Of course, self-confidence is a very important quality, but try not to express it too aggressively. Whether it’s your resume, LinkedIn, or a job interview, when talking about your skills, knowledge, and experience, be prepared to back up your words with facts and details.
- Above all, be honest.
If someone wants to know details about a particular project or your key accomplishments as a volunteer, you should prepare that information ahead of time. And be able to answer questions. If you can confidently explain how you have applied your technical knowledge and accompany it with appropriate examples, you will surely succeed in impressing potential employers.
- Prepare ahead of time, document your experiences
You may be a first-, second-, or third-year student; either way, you can start working on two important components of your professional experience piggy bank now:
- A basic resume, which you can write yourself with tips from layboard.in
- LinkedIn Profile
We strongly recommend that you don’t wait to graduate and start your job search and start working on your profile and resume as early as possible!!!
It won’t always be easy for you to remember the key skills, accomplishments, and events that set you apart from other applicants. It’s best to start documenting them now. And at the same time, start forming professional connections.
The sooner you start creating a detailed, versatile resume and profile on various platforms, the better. You’ll have some sort of framework that can be updated and expanded, as well as a list of all your current accomplishments that can be added to and modified as you grow in your career. If you have a basic resume with all the information you need when applying for a job, you can adjust it to meet the requirements of the position.
Remember, a resume is just that – a resume, that is, a summary. The content should be brief and concise. When sending your resume to an employer, remember that it should not exceed two pages in length. The main resume, in which you record all your accomplishments, can be longer. A profile such as LinkedIn can provide more information, as users can scroll through the page to find the information they want.
However, try to avoid redundant or irrelevant information.
If you have no experience – do not be lost!
It’s harder to answer this question for those who have little or no experience so far. But even in this situation it is possible to look like an attractive candidate.
First of all, remember: if you were invited for an interview, this means that they are already familiar with your resume and the recruiter was not confused by your lack of work experience. Talented graduates with bright eyes are happy to take the Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar or many other countries in their companies.
This means that the chance of getting a job is not as small as it seems. But you still have to talk about experience one way or another.
What can you tell if you have no experience?
- School and college performance
Good grades in school are important to employers for two reasons. First, it shows that you have some knowledge (if not yet put into practice), and second, it shows that you are easy to learn and are likely to be quick to pick up on the intricacies of the job. If you graduated with honors or won a high school or college Olympiad, it is definitely worth mentioning at the interview.
- Own publications, scientific papers, participation in conferences
Be sure to mention this at the interview if you have had any. This will interest the employer for several reasons.
Oral presentations at conferences indicate that you have good public speaking skills, know how to hold an audience’s attention, know how to lead a debate, and know how to defend your point of view using rational arguments.
- Internships
The importance of internships to a college graduate cannot be overstated. Any employer will be interested if a candidate has even a little work experience, especially in the core area of the company. Be sure to include this information in your resume and bring it to the recruiter’s attention during the interview. Tell in detail how you became an intern for a particular company. If you did not just receive a referral from your school’s internship department, but were able to negotiate an internship with the company or passed a competitive selection process, emphasize this. This will demonstrate your determination, proactivity, and negotiation skills.
- Engaging in sports, winning competitions
Sport is known to bring up in a person such qualities as discipline, the ability to set goals and achieve results, the desire for healthy competition. These same qualities are highly appreciated by employers. Therefore, you should not keep silent at the interview about sports awards and achievements, if any.
- Active Involvement in Student Life
Membership in student organizations, creative amateur activities
These attributes of student life show you at your best – as an energetic, proactive individual, a team player. The ability to interact in a team is one of the most in-demand skills in today’s job market.
- Foreign languages
Knowledge of foreign languages is highly valued by employers.
Remember that in an interview it is important not to be silent – avoid heavy pauses and questions left unanswered. Tell why you have chosen a particular career field, how you have chosen your university, what made you study there, what knowledge and skills you have now, upon graduation. Be confident, relaxed, open-minded, and have an interesting conversation.
Good luck in your interview!