One of the first things you need to do when prepping for an interview is to review your own work history and experience. It’s hard enough to remember what you did two weeks ago, let alone what you did two years ago. Specific examples of workplace wins over the years won’t come back to you as easily as you might think when you’re sitting across from an interviewer, especially when your nerves kick in.
The best way to ensure you’re able to fully articulate the scope of your capabilities and the results you can generate for a potential employer is to have full command of your work history at your fingertips. Why? You need to be able to go through the job description and prove that your experience puts you in a position to be successful in the role. That means that the interviewer will directly and indirectly try to assess your ability to take on the responsibilities outlined. You can prove you’re capable by sharing, in specific detail, your past successes and how those successes were achieved. Don’t underestimate the power of being specific. You may be great at your job, but if you’re not able to clearly describe how you do what you do, you won’t instill confidence in the interviewer and that’s the most important thing you can do.
Ultimately, if the interviewer is impressed, he or she will be your advocate within the organization, team or department you hope to become a part of. Interviewers will dig for facts and want to know what you did, why you left certain jobs, what you accomplished and even where you failed. When they come up short, they start scratching their heads wondering what the missing piece of the puzzle is. When presented with two candidates, if both are equally accomplished on paper, but one struggled to articulate how success was achieved, the hiring manager will be left with unanswered questions. The candidate whose accomplishments are clearly outlined on paper and in person will get hired every time.
So, ready to learn the best ways to prep yourself on your own work history? Atrium Recruiter, Megan, shares some great advice in this one-minute video. Yup, in just one minute and you’ll know all you need to know to prep like a pro!
