Standing out from the crowd (of job applicants)
Finding your uniqueness in todays fierce job market can be challenging. The ‘sigh’ we exude from the ubiquitous line ‘we regret to inform you that…’ can often leave us wondering, what makes the ‘other’ candidate better?
So what makes this “other” candidate better? A question we seem to neglect to find out, due to avoiding feeling more disappointed with the idea that another candidate was simply better.
So how can you be the candidate who stands out from the rest?
Having the opportunity to work side by side by recruiters myself, they’ve validated what hiring managers are looking for in candidates and it all starts with mastering interview questions. What makes some candidates stand out from the rest, is their ability to master specific interview questions, which is the most important to step to giving you a competitive advantage.
During the interview, recruiters are assessing three main areas; skills, qualifications and most importantly, fit. It is, therefore, why preparation is everything.
Tip: Never go into an interview and ‘wing’ it. Recruiters know and appreciate candidates who have invested in researching the company and the team, have a solid understanding of the job description and more importantly, individuals who show emotional intelligence.
Before the interview
Research, Research, Research.
- Visit relevant websites or social media page
- Visit LinkedIn to learn more about the team
- Review press releases and;
- Read relevant media coverage
Prepare: how to respond to common interview questions:
- “Tell me about your weaknesses?”
When sharing weaknesses, it is always good to first: analyse the job description, then identify a less important or easily learned skill that isn’t on the job profile (but also be transparent and honest with interviewer if you are lacking an important skill found on the job description) then, include a plan as to how you are going to improve on your weaknesses.
For example, whether you’ve started doing short courses to help you up-skill. If you can provide an honest view of your competencies and the ability to take action to improve on performance, they will invest in your development.
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2. “Tell me about your strengths?”
Again, when sharing strengths, always analyse the job description first and prepare to base your answers to any behavioural questions based on the top 3 competencies. You need to be prepared to provide examples to support your strengths. This will be often expressed as “give me an example of a situation where you demonstrated leadership”.
Tip: Use the STAR technique when answering behavioural questions
- “Why are you interested in our company?”
This type of question requires you to think about why you are :
(1) applying for the job,
(2) how you see yourself contributing to the position and
(3) contributing to the vision and mission of the company.
Recruiters want to know where your true interest lies, if the candidate is committed to the profession and the company’s product and/or service. To understand the position and how the candidate can add value and finally, the longer term career goals and how this position is aligned with the their career plan.
3. “What makes you interesting?”
A few things to think about before approaching this question:
- The industry you are applying within
- Basic background of the person asking the question and;
- The job description and why your skills and qualifications is relevant to the role
With that in mind, you can then start creating a narrative focusing on your experience, skills and qualifications.
However, the most important part of the narrative is bringing in your personality, this will tell whether you make a good fit that is aligned with the role and company culture.
Personality is important, skills can be taught easily but personality hard to change. What will really set you apart from any other candidate is your personality.
Everyone is unique in their own way, so there’s no best way to say how you should answer this type of question but to really show an interest and passion for the role and how you believe that you strongly connect to their mission and can add value.
Written by,
Mariam A-El
