How to best showcase your skills in an interview
How to showcase your skills in an interview
Managing to showcase your skills in an interview is crucial, and could be the tipping point for convincing the recruiter and hiring manager that you are the perfect candidate for this job.
We asked our skilled recruiters how candidates best demonstrate that they actually have the skills they list on their resumes. Here’s the inside scoop:
1. Share Your Portfolio
In this industry, where some technologies and job descriptions may be difficult to comprehend, bringing examples of your work can go a long way towards showcasing your skills. A good strategy is to create a portfolio of your work and your proudest projects. Consider sending this portfolio to the hiring manager or the person with whom your interviewing, prior to the interview. This way they will have time to review it, and it will allow you to go into more details about the projects
2. Prepare To Share Details
It’s one thing to list your skills on a resume or LinkedIn; it’s another to explain exactly what you have done with them. Therefore, it is important that you use the right lingo in the interview
- DO: use industry buzz words and mention technologies, languages and tools used to complete a project.
- AVOID: vague words and phrases that make it sound like you do not have an in-depth knowledge of the subject matter
3. Use The STAR Response Method
When the interviewer asks you the inevitable question about how, where or why you have used a certain skill, respond with the STAR (situation-task-action-result) method. By doing so, you provide all the information the interviewer needs to assess your abilities within that certain skill / field.
Situation: describe the context within which you performed the task – for example, you were working on a group project, or you had a conflict with a co-worker
Task: describe your role and responsibility in that situation
Action: describe how you completed the ask with what methods, technologies, tools, etc. Focus on what you did, i.e. say “I did …” instead of “We did…”
Result: explain the outcomes generated by the action taken – emphasize what you accomplished or what you learned
4. Ask Questions
By asking questions to the interviewer at the end of the interview shows both that you are serious about being considered for the position, and it shows that you are curious and knowledgable. Try to ask questions that show your deep knowledge of the industry and of the company you’re applying to in particular. You might ask a question about a business process, a certain technology, or about the company culture
5. Use Concrete Accomplishment Stories
Show – don’t tell. This is crucial in order to really showcase and highlight your skills. By using concrete stories of your previous accomplishments and including the impact that accomplishment had on the company, the interviewer is able to assess your skill better.
Want more career advice?
At Alexander Daniels Global, we are specialized in recruitment for the additive manufacturing industry. We want you to succeed so we have created a bunch of free career advice. Check it out!
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