{"id":65203,"date":"2018-07-11T13:47:51","date_gmt":"2018-07-11T11:47:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.expresspros.co.za\/?p=65203"},"modified":"2024-11-26T08:56:21","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T06:56:21","slug":"discussing-skills-and-experience-in-an-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expresspros.co.za\/index.php\/discussing-skills-and-experience-in-an-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"Discussing Skills and Experience in an Interview"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by: Movin’ on Up Blog<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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Interviews usually start out the same way. You\u2019ll shake hands with your interviewer, sit down, and wait for the first question. They might want a quick introduction, or could just go right into asking about your resume. If you don\u2019t have a resume, they might want you to speak about your applicable experience and skills.<\/p>\n

This is where many job seekers stumble. Some have plenty of skills and experience, but aren\u2019t exactly clear on how to articulate it. Others don\u2019t have much experience, and don\u2019t know what to say.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s our list of do\u2019s and don\u2019ts to get everything out there.<\/p>\n

Do: Kick Things Off with an Elevator Pitch<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Before digging into your skills and work experience, share a bit about who you are as a person. Giving the interviewer a feel for your unique personality, strengths, and what you\u2019re looking for in a job is a great way to stand out from the competition.<\/p>\n

All this information is called\u00a0your elevator pitch,<\/a>\u00a0a quick speech outlining who you are, what you want, and what you can do for the company. This is where you can highlight what you want in a position (e.g. family-oriented culture, opportunities for advancement), as well as specific experiences you\u2019re proud of (e.g. increasing ROI, achieving deadlines during a serious time crunch).<\/p>\n

Do: Make a List of Your Skills<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You have useful skills;<\/a>\u00a0the hard part is figuring out how to talk about them. For instance, maybe you were a cashier at a fast food restaurant or sold shoes at the mall. That means you have customer service experience! The same goes for being a recruiter for a school or college club.<\/p>\n

Before your interview, write down a list of everything you did at your past jobs. Or, if you haven\u2019t worked before, jot down club or volunteer experience. Then, translate those job responsibilities into skills and pair them with specific experiences. Instead of going on an unfocused ramble about your last job, note that you managed a team, completed projects well-before deadline, or exceeded expected quality levels.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the kind of information interviewers want to hear. Making a list ensures you recognize your skills and can speak directly about them, instead of babbling about jobs in general without a central focus.<\/p>\n

Do: Connect Your Skills to the Job You\u2019re Applying For<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Every job is different, which means you need to prepare differently for every interview. Take time to read the \u201crequired skills\u201d section of the job listing and match those qualities to the ones on your list. Sprinkle a few of those keywords into your interview and expand on them with specific experiences and you\u2019ll stand out as an applicant.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t: Speak Poorly of a Previous Employer<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This is something we mention frequently. It seems obvious, right? Nobody is going to want to hire you if you walk into an interview complaining about a previous boss.<\/p>\n

But things are a bit more complicated than that. In most interviews, you\u2019ll be asked about why you left your previous job, or what issues you ran into at a previous position. Applicants make mistakes when they\u2019re tempted to say it was because of being fired, hating their boss, or bad leadership.<\/p>\n

While you shouldn\u2019t lie in response to these questions, finding a positive spin to show off your skills and experiences is a safe way to answer. Saying anything negative can cause the interviewer to think you might speak negatively of your new employer in the future.<\/p>\n

Perhaps there wasn\u2019t a chance to advance into higher positions (this shows your zest for success), or you realized you wanted to use your skills and experience in a whole new way. And if you can\u2019t come up with anything positive? Just say that there was a culture mismatch.<\/p>\n

Do: Stop Stressing<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The interview process is stressful. You need a job now to pay your bills. But you\u2019ve done everything you can. You\u2019ve made a list and checked it twice, conducted your research, and really gotten to know who you are as an employee. All that\u2019s left now is to ace the interview. So, breathe. Take a few minutes to meditate, let out a primal scream, or do whatever it is you need to do to settle your nerves. Go in there, be yourself, and dazzle them with your experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by: Movin’ on Up Blog Interviews usually start out the same way. You\u2019ll shake hands with your interviewer, sit down, and wait for the first question. They might want a quick introduction, or could just go right into asking about your resume. If you don\u2019t have a resume, they might want you to speak […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":104069,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[143],"tags":[85,245,58,45,103,131,95,82,96,60,98,72],"class_list":["post-65203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews-2","tag-expresssajobs","tag-employee","tag-employment","tag-employment-professionals","tag-express-employment-professionals","tag-express-employment-professionals-south-africa","tag-interview","tag-interviews","tag-job","tag-jobs","tag-work","tag-workplace"],"yoast_head":"\nDiscussing Skills and Experience in an Interview | Interview Tips and Tricks<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Interviews usually start out the same way. 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