Sell to the position.

The majority of the interview process is about you selling yourself.

 

Your cover letter and resume got you invited to the interview, but to get invited back for a second interview or a job offer, you must sell yourself.

 

What do I mean?

 

As you are interviewing, sell yourself to the position.

 

If you are interviewing for a position as a veterinary technician, sprinkle in ways in your past that you have loved, helped and studied about animals. If you are interviewing for a position as a nutritionist, as you speak about yourself and answer questions, weave in ways that you have always studied food and nutrition.

If you truly have a lifelong ambition for the position that you are interviewing for (you should), let the interrogator know of this passion! Hiring managers want to hire people with a passion for the position. Hiring manager really want to hire people that eat, breath, and sleep for the open position. 

 

Now you should sell
 

 

 

 

 

Some examples:

A candidate interviewing for a position as a Financial Planner could say: “From an early age I have always loved personal finance. When I was in middle school I made my own budget.”

A candidate interviewing for a position as a Welder might say: “I have always loved to build things. My dad encouraged me to weld as soon as I could hold the torch.”

A candidate interviewing for an entry level sales position could say: “I have always loved to sell. I was always a top achiever when my school did its yearly fund raising drives.”

 

The above examples are good statements to use in your “You Statement” but you should also insert other examples of your passion into the answers of other questions as appropriate.

 

For example; You are interviewing for an entry level nutrition job and you are asked: What was your favorite class in college? DO NOT SAY “my favorite class was ancient history 101” If you sell to the position, you could reply: “I really enjoyed all of my nutrition classes but food science was by far my favorite.”

 Another example; You are interviewing for an entry level tax accountant position. The hiring manager asks you; What is your greatest weakness? DO NOT SAY “I hate public speaking.” If you sell to the position you could say: “My greatest weakness is my over attention to small details. It really annoys my wife sometimes but I feel it makes me a better accountant to pay such close attention to details.”

 

As you can see, this can take some practice and forethought- but it pays dividends. The hiring manager wants to know that you have a passion for the position. Selling to the position reinforces to the hiring manager that you are a candidate for serious consideration.

Are you selling to the position?

 

 

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