{"id":13972,"date":"2022-06-25T10:28:19","date_gmt":"2022-06-25T14:28:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/?p=13972"},"modified":"2022-12-16T07:31:43","modified_gmt":"2022-12-16T12:31:43","slug":"how-to-stand-out-in-an-interview-part-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/how-to-stand-out-in-an-interview-part-one\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Stand Out in an Interview: Part One"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Stumped<\/a>The interview is going so well. Your answers are flowing naturally; you feel like you\u2019re nailing it; the job is yours for sure. You feel it starting to wind down, and you know what\u2019s coming next.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should we hire you? Why do you think you\u2019re the best candidate for this job?\u201d<\/p>\n

And you smile and maybe you stumble because you know why they should hire you, and you\u2019ve just spent 30 or more minutes explaining just that very thing.<\/p>\n

Why do interviewers ask this question?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is a perennial interview favourite. Chances are, the interviewer wants to know you\u2019re confident about everything you\u2019ve just talked about, and also what sets you apart.<\/p>\n

People who are humble but super-qualified sometimes say underwhelming things when asked this question. At the other end of the spectrum, people who are overconfident (or worse)<\/a> may ace this question, making countless statements that they can\u2019t deliver on.<\/p>\n

Answering this question is tricky, but it’s also an opportunity to stand out from the crowd.<\/p>\n

What Not to Say<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Generic statements like “I’m a hard worker,” “I’m good at my job,” \u201cI\u2019m honest and dependable and I have integrity\u201d are all excellent qualities but you have to offer examples to substantiate your statements.<\/p>\n

Step One: Figure Out What the Company Needs<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

\"woman<\/a>While it\u2019s true that you should be interviewing the company, it\u2019s also true that they are interviewing you. They want to make sure they will be able to fulfill their needs with your help. That\u2019s why this question is so important: it gives the hiring manager a chance to see how much thought and planning you really put into the interview, and even your career.<\/p>\n

Preparation is crucial. To answer this question, you need to have an understanding of what makes you unique and valuable as a potential employee, and a good fit for the role. The best way to do this is by scrutinizing the job posting to understand the demands of the role, and making sure that you demonstrate with concrete examples that you can meet those expectations. This preparation<\/a> should also reduce the nervousness that you may experience leading up to and during your interview.<\/p>\n

Research the company\u2019s mission statement, vision and values; understanding this will help you appreciate some of the intangibles that they’re looking for in their ideal candidate. If nothing else, it should give you some idea of how they market themselves externally, and might also give clues about where they think their business needs improvement.<\/p>\n

The best way to answer this question is by thinking about what the company needs and how you can help them fulfill those needs through your unique skill set and personal qualities. Do research on the business before your interview so you can talk about what skills are necessary for success within the role.<\/p>\n

Step Two: Explain how you’ll make an impact in the role<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Explain how you’ll make an impact in the role, ideally using specific figures and a timeline.<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Here are some examples of how you might answer this question:<\/p>\n