It's almost certain you will be asked to speak about your qualifications for a role during a job interview. Talking about yourself is one of the hardest things for candidates to do, but it is totally essential. It might make you nervous and throw you off from what you really wanted to say at first, so we're here to help you prepare the best answer for why you are qualified for the position.
Focus on your qualifications. The interviewer will want to know about your work experience and valuable skills.
You may want to bring some notes along with your resume. Don't read directly from your notes, but have them to reference if you get stuck or nervous.
You may be asked about your qualifications for the job because employers want to find out if you're a suitable candidate for the position. You got an interview based on your tailored resume, so the company knows you have the abilities to fill the job posting requirements. By answering the question about why you think you're qualified for the position, you are letting the hiring team know if you will also be a good fit for the role and an asset in the workplace.
Make sure you are clear on your hard and soft skills so your interview answers can stand out among other applicants. Use Teal’s Skills Database in the free Skills Workbook to identify your current skills and potential skills that you want to acquire. Once you've identified those, enter them into Teal’s Skills Identifier.
Tailor any answers to match your background and the position you are applying for. It's a good idea to give an example of previous work or experience with these statements. It will provide context for the interviewer which makes your answer stronger and easier to remember.
If you are applying for a job outside of an office, you may want to change your approach when you answer. Take some time to think about your talents and what makes you the best person for this next role.
Pay attention to the job description on the company's website. Make sure you practice so you know how you want to answer the interviewer's questions.
If you are switching industries or starting a new career, focus on past experiences and unique skills you have learned. Just because you haven't done everything this role is looking for doesn't mean you aren't qualified. Tell your potential employers what you like about working in their field. You can also reference your education on your resume, if it's relevant to the industry.
You can share your knowledge of the job even if you haven't actually performed the task before. Give specific examples of volunteer work or experience at your last job that makes you a strong candidate. The skills you acquired in the past might be more relevant to this job than you think.
Within Teal’s Job Tracker is a super helpful “Notes” tool to track and update your interview questions and answers for each saved job. It pulls up next to the job description, making it easy to pull all the necessary keywords. Make any edits and additions you need, and your changes will be saved automatically.
No matter what industry or company you are interviewing with, you will have to show that you are the most qualified candidate for the job. Every interviewer will have more interview questions about your experience and skills. Keep your answer personal and be sure to highlight areas you excel in.
Avoid responses that are too fluffy or generic. Offer something the employer hasn't heard before that makes you stand out from the other candidates.
We highly suggest that you practice your interview answers before the interview. Within Teal’s Job Tracker are tips and resources to help you practice interviewing.
Remember, you have great skills and a company would be lucky to have you. It may take a few interviews to find where you really fit in well though. Stay positive and don't rush your decision. You will know when the position is right for you, so be patient.
After the interview, make sure you follow up with each person you spoke with and thank them for the interview opportunity. This shows professionalism and keeps you top of mind and at the top of their inbox.
Located within Teal's Job Tracker are templates to use as a starting point when crafting a thoughtful follow up email following an interview.