What Employers look for In the Interview

Employers hold many of the cards when it comes to the job markets of today. With multitudes of applicants applying for every job, and multitudes of different places to source potential candidates from, employers can be very selective about who they hire indeed

But at the end of the day, no matter how much of an advantage they may hold, hiring an employee is still a two-way street. We all apply for jobs because we need them so we can earn a wage to live on, but no matter how many people apply for a role, employers will eventually need to narrow this candidate list down and select from the person or persons they feel will be most beneficial for their organisation and for the role itself. Much as in the same way that a candidate, once hired, comes to rely on the regular income their employer provides – once hired, an employer, in turn, will come to rely on that candidate to perform in the role to the best of their ability and carry out their duties diligently so that their organisation can thrive. Employers understand this, and in the fast-paced job markets of today, they are all too aware of the time and cost implications of making bad hiring decisions. As the most important part of the candidate selection process, the interview is crucial in helping employers discern which candidates will make the best fit for their organisation. Therefore, when it comes to the interview itself, what exactly is it that employers most commonly look for?

Interview Professional has identified several areas that will have the biggest impact in your next interview. While some of these will overlap with traditional core competencies, other will not, however, what these areas all have in common is that they are things which employers will either actively or passively look for, and as such, are considered to be especially important. On top of this, our interviewing experts have also identified several other areas employers will also typically pick up on over the course of your interview, and we will examine these too. All of these areas are highly impactful and if prioritised correctly, can lead to you gaining a big advantage over other candidates in your next interview

EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR CANDIDATES WHO SHOW THEM RESULTS

No matter what the industry, no matter how generic it may seem, another thing that always impresses in an interview are the times where you are able to provide strong verbal examples of impressive results. One of the most common ways you can do this is in the form of statistics

Even if you have to fit the statistic around the result in question, (as long as you are truthful when doing so) you’ll find the result will often be well worth the effort

For instance, when asked the question

Why should I hire you?

‘You should hire me because I’m highly motivated, I love what I do, and I always go out of my way to put the customer first. To give you an example of how I apply this approach in my daily duties, in my previous role, there was a big change in our department after our company got restructured, and as part of that change, my role was moved from a telephony-based service to an online first contact center-based one. During that transition, our business relied on us then more than ever to meet the needs of our customers, and to give you an example of how I stepped up to this challenge, in my last performance review just before the changeover; I’d managed to serve 415 customers in that quarter. This was 7% percent more than the department average, with a satisfaction rating of over 80%, which put me in the exceeding bracket. In the next quarter after the changeover, we had an increased customer contact demand of over 21% percent, which is massive! Much of this was driven by customers with queries about their accounts being moved across onto our new system. I helped my business meet the increased customer contact demand by successfully serving 521 customers in that quarter alone. This was a 25.5% increase over the previous quarter, and I did this by not only quickly learning the new system processes, but by collaborating with my colleagues and by always putting the customer first in everything I did’.

Other examples could go something like this

Conveying examples of times when you’ve delivered great results is by no means limited to prestigious managerial or high-end leadership roles. There are multitudes of other metrics and measurements you can use to provide great examples of this such as Sales (which is a very basic measure of the number of goods or services sold). First Pass Yield (which measures the percentage of products manufactured correctly without needing rework or repairs.). Employee Turnover Rates (which measures the percentage of employees leaving the company within a given period of time). Net Promoter Scores (which is a rating of customer satisfaction). Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV) – which is a measure of the total projected revenue a business can expect from a single customer throughout their relationship with them). Inventory Turnover (this measures how often inventory is sold and replaced over a given period of time). Scrap Rate (measuring how often inventory is sold and replaced over a given period of time). Lead Time (which is a measure of the time from the start of a production process to its completion), and these are just a few of the areas you could choose to base your examples from, but there are also many, many more…Its equally important to remember that these examples need not only apply to frontline roles or prestigious high end positions, but can also be applied to any other type of situation in your life too, even if you are unemployed or have very limited work experience. This can be great if you’ve made personal commitments to attain career related goals or you are committed to getting into/ back into work

Here we examine a few examples from people who have made life commitments to attain results involving career related objectives. The first is from someone who is currently working as a volunteer to improve their career prospects

Other examples could look something like this

I have managed to achieve incredible results in my life by setting daily goals that revolve around exercise, reading, and meditation. This has not only helped me enhance my general well-being, but has also enabled me to maintain a positive mindset that has allowed me to maintain valuable workplace skills such as impeccable time management and consistently high levels of productivity

By participating in networking events and industry webinars, and by doing everything I could to get into this industry that I have a deep passion for, I have been able to connect with many successful professionals, in the process gaining valuable insights as well as several promising job leads. This has not only helped me get interviews such as the one I’m having with you today, but has also enabled me to remain driven and motivated, allowing me to gain valuable insider knowledge that will empower me to succeed once I get my start in this industry

I’ve attained the results I’ve needed in my life by setting effective personal goals for myself.
By completing self paced learning courses like google digital garage: fundamentals of digital marketing, advanced SEO technique classes through Coursea and social media advertising courses online, it has put me in a position where I can take my skills further than I ever have before, to the point at which I am now able to confidently say I can bring something highly meaningful to my chosen field of digital media marketing

Remember that these examples don’t necessarily have to be results orientated as we’re discussing here, they can also be based around many different types of areas such as goal setting, time-management, initiative, or just about anything else you can think of…!

EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR CANDIDATES WHO CAN TAKE THE INITIATIVE

Initiative is a vital tool to have in your personal repertoire when interviewing for any role today, and here we will look at how it can be conveyed not only in instances when you have prior experience, but also in situations where you are unemployed or have long gaps in your employment history too

Initiative is an essential quality to have in today’s workplace, that’s why anyone who can successfully show an interviewer they have the ability to take the initiative is sure to make it right to the top of the interviewers shortlist of potential hires.
Initiative tells the interviewer numerous things about you as a prospective employee. Not only does it tell them that you are a candidate who is engaged enough and cares enough about their duties to proactively take action when required, but it also indicates to them that you are a capable candidate, taking responsibility for the success of the organisation which you serve, and when combined, these things make you a very reliable choice in the eyes of any interviewer

How can I go about conveying initiative?
A conversation with your interviewer is a very fluid and dynamic thing. That’s why the best way to convince an interviewer you can take the initiative in your role is by showing them through sound verbal examples. The most effective way to do this is through S.T.A.R competency and behavioural based examples, although you should also take any opportunities that come along in general conversation or through routine questioning to work in examples of this too

Let’s consider a few of the examples here

Conveying initiative is not something limited to those exclusively with experience in the workplace, but is also a vital tool for those with little or no experience of the workplace too.
In this situation, having something to say about what you’ve been doing while you’ve been out of work is even more essential. In particular, striking personal examples of times where you have taken the initiative when it comes to important tasks in your everyday life, or the unwavering initiative you’ve taken to try and find work, can go a long way to convincing an interviewer that even though you lack the actual experience they’d desire, you’ve got exactly what it takes to do the job reliably.
This is a tactic that can be used both on the examples you provide to an interviewer’s questions, as well as to the work history listings section on your C.V or Resume that you can use to get onto the next stages of the candidate selection process itself, as shown on the experience section in this example below

Remember that effective interviewing is not only about providing the interviewer with shining workplace examples of times where you’ve saved the organisation 5% here, or have increased customer satisfaction by 10% there. In a very basic sense, it simply revolves around the ability to have effective conversations with your interviewer, and in this situation, that means having something good to say for yourself even though you may lack the experience sought after for the role itself. The good news here is that there are all sorts of creative ways you can do this in the instances where you are unemployed or have had long gaps in your work history

As we can see from the example here, there is nothing stopping you from creating your own employment history listings on a C.V or resume to show just how proactive you’ve been when it comes to pursuing your career and personal development goals. This can be a shrewd tactic that resonates well with employers, allowing you to fill out an employment history section with a listing where it would otherwise be completely blank. Even though you lack the experience they may desire, by taking the initiative to dazzle them with personal or career development based examples like this, it will show them you’ve not just been sitting idly around, and that you have the capacity to take the initiative when it comes to your own career development…a highly desirable trait that can put you right up there in the running for any role!

Example

‘I’ve created a personal blog with the purpose of encouraging those who are out of work to keep their skills up to date, providing advice on how to identify skills gaps and giving practical advice and support to both job seekers and those in employment alike. I update my blog posts weekly, actively seeking and responding to patron feedback and suggestions, and this has helped me make improvements to my work, such as a great links section that I’ve recently added, giving those looking to network in the —— industry the means to do so.
On top of this, I’ve also included some expert examples from my own work portfolio which I’ve had some great feedback on, and that I’d be delighted to share with you too! Overall, taking the initiative to create my own blog has not only allowed me to keep my industry skills current, but has also been a great way for me to expand my industry knowledge, enabling both myself and countless others to stay up to date with the latest industry trends!

Starting your own blog posting is just one way of showing an employer of how capable you are when it comes to taking the initiative. There are many other different ways that initiative can be conveyed through examples like the following:

Example

‘I coordinated logistics for weekly family events such as setting up tables, arranging supplies, and scheduling activities. This has helped me develop important skills over the years, such as task prioritization, effective resource allocation, and impeccable time management‘.

Example

‘I am highly proactive when it comes to the use of my time, and one of the most important ways I choose to spend it is by performing regular physical exercise. Activities such as jogging and gym workouts have improved my physical fitness levels, giving me the capacity to lift heavy objects of up to 100lbs +. Practicing yoga has enhanced my mood and mental well-being, increasing my productivity levels and helping me go about my daily tasks with an unmatched zeal. I also feel that as a prospective employee, the added advantage of being physically healthy is that it comes with a reduced risk of absenteeism’.

EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR CANDIDATES WHO GIVE THEM GREAT CONVERSATIONS

This is the fundamental basis for any good rapport building

It’s true that interviewers will connect with their candidates in different ways. Some may be more focused on the questions themselves – these types of interviewers will take a more formal approach and will be less inclined to make conversation, whereas others will be quite receptive and engaging and ready to make conversation with you – (most interviewers will fall into this latter category)

Having great conversations partly depends on the luck of the draw!
In the first instance, to some extent the ability to have a great conversation with your interviewer relies somewhat on luck. That’s because different people merge better with different types of personalities than others. For this reason, how well you are able to make conversation with your interviewer will at least partly depend on the person you are speaking with. If you’re lucky enough to get a person you can easily bond with, you’ll naturally find it easier to start up a great conversation and establish a common ground with them

Having great conversations

• the first instance, the ability to have a great conversation with your interviewer does rely somewhat on luck. That’s because as we’ve just stated, as individuals well each find it easier to merge with certain types of personalities more than others. For this reason, if you’re lucky enough to get a person you bond well with, you’ll naturally find it easier to start up a great conversation and establish a common ground with them

• This leads onto the second point when it comes to having great conversations – because as a generalization, standard interviewing advice is that you should try to read your interviewer, taking a careful note of their tone and demeanour, and doing your best to match your own with theirs. This is said to give you the best chance of striking the right balance between conversation and interview focus, enabling you to give great answers, while establishing a common ground and hopefully building a great rapport with your interviewer at the same time

• Rehearse! Remember that there’s nothing from stopping you from pre-rehearsing things you want say. This can be a highly effective strategy when it comes to having great conversations, giving you increased confidence and direction that you would otherwise lack. Just like the concept of a self-introduction, writing out and practicing the opening of a conversation can be incredibly beneficial before you go for the actual interview itself, especially if you’re not used to initiating conversations, or lack the charisma to talk naturally about things when meeting new people for the first time. Just remember to practice beforehand so you don’t sound too scripted! Also, it’s important to remember not to overdo your scripting either – focus only on the conversation opening…from there, you’ll find that things will flow naturally and the conversation will start to take it’s a course of its own. For more information on how to compose and rehearse some great conversation openers that are sure make all the difference in your next interview, please visit the following sections
  Interview professional presents – great conversation openers
  Self introductions
  Interview Professional’s 3 most Effective Rehearsal techniques for Interviewing

• When it comes to having great conversations, the last piece of advice may in some instances seem to run somewhat contrary to the second, and although it may sound generic, it’s very, very, simple. Find a style that works best for you! Once you’re comfortable enough to talk openly in your interviews and can incorporate your own individual style into things, you’ll notice a huge difference in how your conversations go. From there, it’s only a matter of time until you get the type of job you’re looking for. Remember that the more interview practice you get in, the easier having great conversations with your interviewers will become!

Lastly, it’s important to keep in mind that the best points to make conversation are at the beginning and end of an interview. That’s because during the main parts of it, your interviewer will be trying to ask you questions and will be focused on evaluating your answers to see what kind of candidate you are

How the start of a great conversation might look

Example

Interviewer – ‘Good afternoon’.

Candidate – ‘Good afternoon, it’s great to meet you’.

Candidate – ‘I’ve got to say, I’m really thrilled to be here today. This building looks even better than it did when I googled it online’.

Interviewer – ‘Yes, we’re fortunate to work in such lovely surroundings, this way please, we’ll be interviewing through here today’.

Candidate – ‘It was a lot easier to travel here than I thought it would be too. I got here 45 minutes early, so I thought I’d take the time to walk around and get to know the area. It’s lovely. There are lots of nice shops and a really nice park close by. I think that if I worked in this area I’d always be there on my time off. I love the park, it’s one of my favourite things to do, I find it’s such a great way to relax and clear my mind. I think I might need to come down to your offices just so I can visit it more often…’

Interviewer – ‘Yes, it’s a lovely park, we always have the summer music festival there’.

Candidate – ‘I absolutely love the festivals here, they’re one of the most enjoyable things about living in this city. I’ve never been to that one before though, I’ll definitely put it on my list… What about the nature festival, have you ever been to that? It’s held by the beachfront every year’.

Interviewer – ‘Yes, I think I have. It’s really nice’

Candidate – ‘They have some magnificent floral displays there; I usually buy one each year’.

Interviewer – ‘Yes, someone gave me one as a gift once, you’re right, they are really lovely’.

Interviewer – ‘Here we are, if you’d like to have a seat here, we can begin…’

EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR ENTHUSIASM
Employers want you to be enthusiastic when you interview for a role with them. The great thing about this particular trait is that it’s easy to convey, and is often something an interviewer is specifically instructed to look for, but even when it’s not, it’s still one of the unspoken qualities your interviewer will always intuitively pick up on over the course of the interview itself

We’ve just noted that the great thing about this quality is that as a candidate it’s very easy for you to convey. Going into the interview with an enthusiastic approach and speaking about past experiences and about past employers in an enthusiastic and upbeat way shows your interviewer not only that you are interested in the role itself, but also subtly conveys to them that you are comfortable with the duties associated with that role too. Most important of all, genuine enthusiasm is a quality that will endear you to most different types of people, not only helping make your conversations go a lot more smoothly, but ultimately, making it easier for you to get them to buy into the things you have to say. On the whole, genuine enthusiasm is a trait that comes over particularly well with employers and interviewers, that’s why we recommend it as one of the main areas to focus on in your next upcoming interview

Enthusiasm can be conveyed in numerous different types of ways – through your overall demeanour, as well as through the gestures, verbal nods, and mannerisms you employ too. When we consider this trait and the situations where it has the biggest impacts though, positive language is one of the most effective means you’ll have at your disposal to convey this in any role. That’s why next, we’ll take a look at some of the most effective examples of positive language usage

Most positive wording is very basic and simple, but can have a huge effect on how the interviewer perceives you. Let’s start with something simple

Neutral. ‘Thanks for inviting me to come along and meet with you today, I’m happy to be here and looking forward to talking with you about why I believe I’m the right candidate for this role’.

Enthusiastic. ‘Thanks for inviting me to come along today, I’m delighted to be here and I’m really looking forward to talking with you about why I believe I’m the perfect candidate for this role’.

When we are looking to convey enthusiasm through language – what we are really talking
about is nothing more than an extenuation of positive language. Here we consider a brief introduction leading into an example, and as we can see, one introduction is much more effective than the other

Neural. ‘Getting results for my clients is very important to me, and I’ll always make every effort to do so. An example I can give you of this…’

Enthusiastic. ‘I put results at the heart of everything that I do, and I’m always there for my clients. That’s why I’ll always go the extra mile for them to get the outcome they want. An example I can give you of a time I did this was when…’

Next, we see the candidate giving an example of the actions they have taken on behalf of a client; as we can see, in one example the wording is a lot more effective than in the other

Neural. ‘An example I can give you of a time I have taken effective action on behalf of a client was when I liaised with our accounts department to get archived financial information no longer available on their account that my client needed for tax purposes. Obtaining such information was hard to do, but I made sure I listened to my client and noted down exactly what they needed, then I relayed their precise requirements to our accounts team, and continued to follow up with them until my client got exactly what they needed’.

Enthusiastic. ‘I have a great example for you of a time where I have taken an effective action on behalf of a client. A valued client of mine needed past financial information for tax purposes from so many years back that it was no longer on their account and had been archived. Obtaining such information was hard to do, but I was happy to go out of my way to ensure they got exactly what they wanted. I listened to my client and noted down exactly what they asked, then I relayed their precise requirements to our accounts team, and continued to follow through with them until my client got exactly what they needed. Doing so ensured my client was ecstatic when I came through for them, which strengthened the relationship I enjoyed with them even further’.

The same principle of positive language can be used when covering negative aspects too. While you should always avoid introducing negative topics in the interview yourself, don’t be afraid to cover negative aspects if directly asked by the interviewer, because with the tool of positive language at your disposal, you have nothing to worry about!
It’s important you come across as open and transparent with your interviewer, that’s why wording negative aspects with positive language is a highly effective tactic that will help you deal with challenging questions constructively and score you some big points in your next interview

Next, we see two different examples of an answer a candidate gives when being directly asked a negatively worded question about a time where they’ve experienced a setback at work. While the word choice in these examples is almost identical, in the second response, we can see the candidate using positive language to embellish the details and give a more positive and constructive overall answer

Neutral. ‘My team and I were working to a tight deadline on a project that needed to be finished within a 4-month deadline. It was a very challenging assignment that involved implementing a framework for a new online customer account portal on behalf of a client and was an important project not only to my team but to our company as a whole. Unfortunately, there were some unforeseen problems at the last minute which meant we didn’t get it completed on time. This was a setback that left all of us really disappointed, but we recovered well to deliver on this the following month’.

Constructive. ‘ My team and I were working to a tight deadline on an important project that needed to be finished within a 4-month deadline. It was a very challenging assignment that involved implementing a framework for a new online customer account portal on behalf of a valued client and was an important project not only to my team but to our company as a whole. Unfortunately, there were some unforeseen problems at the last minute, which meant we didn’t get it completed on time. This was a setback which made us all really disappointed, but we recovered well to deliver on this the following month. This was an experience that not only made me stronger and more resilient, but that also made me appreciate the team I had beside me and in spite of the setback, we were all really proud when our client got in touch to personally thank us for the really great work we’d done upon the projects completion’.

EMPLOYERS WILL OFTEN RESPOND WELL TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEMEANOURS

Employers want someone they know who will get the job done

When applying for a job, there are certain things that an interviewer will already take for granted about you. These are traits that they will already expect a candidate to have. An example of this might be something like intelligence. (As we are all naturally intelligent anyway, when interviewing for most types of roles, this is a trait interviewers will naturally assume most candidates already possess).
Saying you are a hard worker can be another good example – we naturally expect people to work hard in their jobs anyway, so emphasizing this in an interview can often come across as cliché

Different interviewers will respond differently to different types of personalities

For example, in roles that involve danger, emergency situations, or responsibility for managing and delegating large amounts of resources and people, interviewers may be drawn to candidates who have a natural seriousness about their demeanour that reassures them about that candidate’s ability to perform the role in question

A more serious approach can often help to highlight qualities and core competencies such as results oriented, Leadership Ability, Initiative, and Ambition

Understanding how interviewers might respond to different types of personalities can be a very useful thing indeed – that’s because everyone has a different approach when it comes to how to take on the challenge of the interview, and whereas a trait like enthusiasm tends to be readily apparent no matter who you are speaking with, when it comes to the seriousness of your approach, how another interprets this can often come down to the person in question, as such, it tends to be a much more subjective trait overall. With this in mind, it’s never advisable to pretend to be someone you’re not, especially in an interview – that’s why you should play to your strengths. If you’re cheerful, be cheerful. If you’re inquisitive, be inquisitive

When all things are considered though, understanding how an interviewer might respond to different types of personalities can nevertheless be a very useful thing indeed – and having a seriousness that permeates our approach can be a highly effective trait in an interview, especially when applying for certain types of roles

As a trait, seriousness is all about demeanour. It’s in the way you project yourself and in the way you talk about your prior roles, duties, and responsibilities. Keeping in mind that this is normally one of the more subjective traits, let’s look at how this might be portrayed in an interview

Example – Neutral demeanour

Interviewer – ‘Can you tell me about the duties you currently perform’.

Candidate – ‘There are five main types of pharmaceutical products we currently manufacture. All of these are in tablet form, and I am directly responsible for manufacturing each one’.

Candidate – ‘My primary duty involves me working with a Rotary Tablet Press. This marvellous piece of machinery allows me to produce tablets in reasonably large quantities, and there are a variety of different products and ingredients I use for each medicine I make, that’s why having a strong familiarization with each one is essential. I’m also responsible for configuring the machine based on the type of medicine I’m making. This involves me calibrating the settings and timings for each batch, then from there, I prepare the mix of active ingredients and weigh the exact dosages in precise amounts. Once I’ve configured the machine and loaded the ingredients, I check my work, then recheck it again. From there, I have a member of the senior production team triple check my work before any production batch is started’.

Candidate – ‘Once the process is finished, I then load the tablets into a canister and take them over to a conveyer in the next area where they are packaged. Keeping the equipment clean and sterile is the other main part of my role, and it is equally important, if not more so, than any of the other duties I perform, so it goes without saying that I put all of my effort into it too! I take great pride in every single one of the duties I perform, and I feel I’m blessed to have a job that I really love to do’.

Example – Serious demeanour

Interviewer – ‘Can you tell me about the duties you currently perform’.

Candidate – ‘There are there five main types of pharmaceutical products we currently manufacture. All of these are in tablet form, and I am directly responsible for manufacturing each one. I think the most important thing you should know about my duties though is that each product I manufacture is a valuable resource that enables the public to access vital medicinal aid when they need it most’.

Candidate – ‘My primary duty involves me working with a Rotary Tablet Press. This marvellous piece of machinery allows me to produce tablets in reasonably large quantities, and there are a variety of different products and ingredients I use for each medicine I make, that’s why having a strong familiarization with each one is essential. I’m also responsible for configuring the machine based on the type of medicine I’m making. This involves me calibrating its settings and the timings for each batch. Such duties allow for no mistakes whatsoever. That means preparing the mix of active ingredients and weighing the exact dosages in precise amounts. It’s also why I don’t let anything distract or interrupt me while I’m working. Once I’ve configured the machine and loaded the ingredients, I check my work, then recheck it again. From there, I have a member of the senior production team triple check it before any production batch is started’.

Candidate – ‘From there, I monitor the process all the way through to completion, and great attention to detail is required to do this. Once the process is finished, I load the tablets into a canister and then take them over to a conveyer in the next room so they can be packaged. Keeping the equipment clean and sterile is the other main part of my role, and it is equally important, if not more so, than any of the other duties I perform, so it goes without saying that I put all of my effort into it too! I take great pride in every single one of the duties I perform, and I feel I’m blessed to have a job that really I love to do’.

Comparing the examples here, we can notice subtle nuisances and differences in the language between the two

There are many different aspects that comprise your demeanour and how an interviewer will perceive it beyond the scope of language you use, with your body language, mannerisms, and even the extent of conversation you’ve held with the interviewer up to that point all coming into play. Just remember that ultimately there is no such thing as a right or wrong demeanour, and while it can be useful to have an understanding of how interviewers might perceive different types of personalities (such as the ones outlined here), keep in mind that your demeanour is an innate part of your personality which is yours and yours alone – and that playing to your strengths in the first instance will always give you the best chance of performing well in an interview – this will always be your first and best option (as opposed to trying to be someone you’re not)

EMPLOYERS ARE HIGHLY IMPRESSED WHEN THEIR CANDIDATES EDUCATE THEM
For an employer, there’s nothing more reassuring about knowing their making the right hiring decision than when they encounter a candidate who is able to turn things around and educate them during the interview itself. Most candidates are so focused on answering the interviewer’s questions, that they never have the prescience of mind to take things a step further and try to impart some of their own knowledge back into the interview. This is something that will certainly resonate well with employers and score you some big points when done effectively in any interview

How can I go about doing this?
There is no right or wrong way to go about doing this. It simply depends on the conversion you find yourself having at the time.
You could go into your interview planning to impart a specific thing pertaining to the industry you work in – this would certainly make it easier to work into the conversation. Alternatively, you could go into your interview planning to impart something that’s non-related to the industry. Either way, both are great ways to ensure an employer will find the conversation they have with you one they will remember

Example – non industry related
If you wanted to emphasise a specific competency, like how well you pay attention to detail, or perhaps showcase other skills like creative thinking, reliability, taking the initiative, reading comprehension, or researching, you could start off a conversation like this

‘I pay great attention to detail in everything I do. This is a philosophy I apply not only to my work life, but to my personal life too, and it’s one of the reasons I believe I’d have no problem handling the duties this role requires. For instance, one of the things I’m paying really close attention to nowadays is my energy bills. Every time I get an energy statement through, I read over it very carefully. There’s a lot of information on these statements, and they confuse a lot of people…and it’s only because I’ve been paying such close attention to them that I can let you in on a little secret. If you see your usage outlined on your bill but can’t understand the fees you’ve been charged, there is a way you can actually work out what your usage is. If you’re calculating your electricity, get the number of kilowatts and enter it into your calculator. If you’re calculating the gas, your usage is shown in units, so you first need to convert it to kilowatts. The easiest way to do this is to remember that there are approximately 11 kilowatts for each unit, so simply multiply the number of units by 11. From there, you need to get your tariff rate, and it’s how you enter this number into your calculation that’s important’.

‘You need to enter a zero then a decimal point, then the first four numbers of the tariff figure without any decimal points’.

Like so:
Units used, 200 kilowatts
Tariff price 35.147 pence per kilowatt
200 x 0.3514 = £70.28

‘Also, there is a standing charge applied to each meter in your house, and this will also be indicated on the bill too’.

‘This is charged to your account per day. So, get the price from your bill, then if your calculator has a date calculation mode, use this first to get the number of days you are calculating this for. For instance, the 1^{st of} January, to the 28^th of February comes to 58 days’.

‘Now that you know the number of days, do the calculation in exactly the same way’.

Number of days = 58
Standing charge = 41.568 pence per day
58 x 0.4156 = £24.10

Then, simply add the two figures together to get your energy bill for that given period

In this case, 200 kilowatts used over 58 days comes to the following £70.28 + £24.10 = £94.38

Another way you could give the interviewer an example is by linking this with something relevant to the role itself

Example – Industry related
‘Paying great attention to detail is one of my strongest traits. To give you just one example of how I apply this in my work related duties would be the way that I revise for and proofread important material. Whenever I’m sending out a document to a customer, or if I’m sending out a memorandum to another colleague or department in my office, I’ve come to find that the best way to proofread for mistakes is to first read the document over silently first, then, to read it back fully out aloud. This method makes it much easier to pick out errors and always ensures my work is top quality’.

There are many other important qualities and competencies that an employer will look for in an interview – these will be based on the industry and on the role in question. Different roles will necessitate different qualities, that’s why we always advise you to refer to the job description in the first instance so you can get the best indication as to what these might be. Interview professional has analysed a cross-section of numerous competencies across various industries and identified 6 key skills and competencies we believe are most commonly sought after by the employers of today