A targeted, well-crafted resume helps get you in the door. An interview is your chance to shine, to introduce the person behind the words, and to validate the interviewer’s wish that you might just be the person they need.
It’s one of the few situations in life where it’s perfectly acceptable to talk about yourself. To highlight your noteworthy skills, strengths, experience and accomplishments in a confident, conversational way.
But the truth is — nothing personal — it’s not all about you.
In some ways, of course, it is — but ideally, it’s expressed as the promise of what they’ll gain when they hire you.
Impressive as they may be, your skills, experience and accomplishments only matter in context of the company’s current priorities and those of the position you’re seeking. How will you add value to their team?
Put on Your Detective Hat
In sales and marketing, the first rule of thumb is to know your audience. Recognizing their needs and wants allows you to frame your pitch in a compelling way that resonates with the company’s needs and goals. Your message has to be relevant to be meaningful.
A job interview is, in essence, a sales pitch. It’s an opportunity to show everyone you meet during the process that 1) you understand what they’re looking for, 2) you know how to help them reach their goals (and can summarize it succinctly), and 3) therefore, you’re the person they should hire.
In order to do this well, put on your detective hat. Start with the job description. Print it out and grab a highlighter. What are the most important qualifications the company’s seeking in a candidate? Highlight those words and phrases. Consider them bullet points to address during the interview, and if you have questions, see if you can get any answers in advance from online research.
This information is your benchmark for relevance. It provides context for your skills, experience and accomplishments to help your interviewer decide you’re a good fit for the job.
Related: Target Your Resume, Target Your Success
Another way to look at it is to imagine you’re a recruiter. The company has engaged your services to find the best candidate for the position. What would you look for, and why would you present you?
Don’t stop there. In an effort to attract as many great candidates as possible, some companies craft job descriptions into a recruiting ad, which may or may not be accurate.
Use your network. Ask for introductions. Dive into LinkedIn and reach out to people that either currently work (or previously worked) for the company you’re targeting. They can shed light on the company’s culture and provide insight into what top management really values most —especially if it differs from how the company represents itself on its website.
Does It Pass the “So What?” Test?
When an interviewer says, “Tell me about yourself,” what they really want to know is a little about you and more importantly, how you can be a solution to their needs and challenges.
Saying that you’re “highly organized,” “detail-oriented,” a “strong communicator,” etc. won’t differentiate you or help you stand out against other candidates. By themselves, these buzzwords are so overused, they rarely mean anything anymore. But they can if you make them relevant.
Imagine your interviewer with a thought bubble hovering over their head, thinking the words, “So what?”
· You’re a relationship-builder. So what?
How will your ability to build and maintain relationships benefit this particular employer? Perhaps you were able to increase your customer roster by 40 percent last year, resulting in a 30 percent increase in annual sales. If that’s a priority for your targeted company, this will speak to their needs more directly. Results matter.
· You bring 15+ years of product development experience? So what?
How could your experience benefit this particular employer? What transferable lessons did you learn that will likely be meaningful to them?
What’s unique and memorable about you becomes your value proposition. It speaks to all your new company will gain, should they be lucky enough to have you join their ranks.
Related: What’s Your Brand?
Want the Job? Connect the Dots.
For every accolade you bring into the interview, focus on impact. Include examples and qualitative or quantitative metrics whenever possible. Show the interviewer how your skills and experience could be of great value to them.
The stakes are too high to hope your interviewer will connect the dots between what you offer and what the company needs. It takes too much time and energy, and it’s not their job.
It’s up to you to do that, and in a way that makes them wonder how they ever got along without you. Then you’ve aced it.
Every interview counts.
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