One question that’s asked in every job interview is ‘why do you want this job?’ It’s a seemingly simple question, yet people often make a mistake when answering it, robbing themselves of an opportunity to really set themselves apart from other candidates.
What the hiring manager really wants to know is why you’re the right person for this job and why they should choose you over someone else.
There are a few things you must do, and a few you must avoid when answering this question.
Show how you’ll add value to the company.
The most important part of the answer is explaining how you’ll add value to the company. Your qualifications are selling point here, but even more than that are your specific talents and skills. This is a great time to talk about your soft skills and how you’ll use your expertise in them in the new role. This is especially important if you’re interviewing for any kind of leadership role.
Talk about you, not your skills.
You have many other opportunities to talk about specific skills during the interview, so use this question to talk about yourself. This question gives you an opportunity to really describe who are you to the hiring manager.
Specifically, highlight what makes you unique and sets you apart from other candidates. A group of qualified candidates may all share many of the same skills, but not the same personality. A combination of skills and personality is what gets you hired.
Don’t hold back.
Your personality is a huge selling point – so let your it shine through when you answer this question. Personality definitely matters in a job interview, and sometimes it’s the make or break difference between two candidates.
Hiring managers have a preference for candidates who come across as genuine and authentic, so try to speak as freely as possible. Rehearsed answers can make you come off as robotic and inauthentic .
Don’t focus on qualifications.
Qualifications, such as a degree or certification, aren’t relevant to this question. They’re certainly beneficial, but don’t belong in this answer. They’re accomplishments, but don’t actually tell the hiring manger anything about you specifically. Also, they’re on your resume so the hiring manager is already aware of them.
Elaborate on your answers.
Hiring managers don’t want to hear generic answers, such as it’s a good opportunity for growth or it’s a challenge you’re looking to tackle. These are just empty phrases with very little meaning behind them. You have to explain why it’s a good opportunity or challenge.
While there’s nothing inherently wrong with saying you’re looking for something more challenging than your current role, it just doesn’t tell the interviewer much. You need to clarify exactly what and why it will be a welcome challenge, and how you might address it.
Rather than saying it’s a growth opportunity, talk about how you’re looking to build on the skills you’ve acquired in previous roles and how this new job would help you both utilize those skill sets and continue to develop.
Compare these two answers, and you’ll easily see the difference and impact not giving a generic response can make.
‘I want this job because I had the opportunity to be a team leader on a group project, and it really showed me how much I enjoyed being in a leadership role. I think this job would be a great way to help me take the skills I have now and use them to grow and develop in a new role.’ versus ‘I think it would be a great growth opportunity.’
It’s the details that really help set you apart from other candidates. This is a good rule of thumb to follow when answering most interview questions, not just ‘why do you want this job.’
from Forbes - Entrepreneurs https://ift.tt/2X84jzT
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