Five great ways to sell yourself at a job interview

Few of us are experts when it comes to boasting about our skills and achievements which is why job interviews so often feel like an incredibly stressful and daunting experience.

The bad news is that if you really do want to come across as the best candidate for the role, talking about yourself in a positive light is something you’re going to have to learn to do. The good news however is that practice makes perfect. Below we’ve listed five great ways you can sell yourself to a potential employer and ace that interview.

Make a good first impression

Whether we realise it or not, we make assumptions about people within seconds of seeing them so it’s crucial to make those first few moments before you’ve even said anything count. Dress to impress, walk confidently, maintain eye contact, present a strong handshake and most importantly, smile.

It may seem like a minor thing but an incredible 50% of employers say that not smiling is a good enough reason not to consider a candidate for the role.

20% of interviewers also say they’ve written off a candidate because they sat with their arms crossed and 65% haven’t given the job to someone who failed to make eye contact.

Prepare a short pitch 

Before a potential employer decides whether or not to hire you, they need to know you’re going to be the right fit for the company both professionally and personally. It’s therefore completely natural that they’re going to want to know as much about you as they can.

You can almost guarantee that you will be asked ‘can you tell me a bit about yourself?’ so make sure you master your answer. Prepare a one-minute pitch that covers any relevant skills you have but also try to get your personality across because this is equally as important.

Avoid negativity

We can’t help but be drawn to positive people so try to avoid negativity at all costs during your job interview. Even if you’re asked a somewhat negative question, such as ‘what are your weaknesses?’, try to portray yourself in a positive light.

Another key thing to remember is never talk negatively about your previous job or boss. This could create the impression that you’re difficult to work with and no employer wants to think that you might criticise them to others.

Show how you can have an impact on the company immediately

A great tip that will set you far apart from other candidates is to demonstrate how you will be able to start making a difference to the company immediately. Not only does this show confidence and that you will be able to hit the ground running, it also tells an employer that you’re not afraid to use your initiative and work hard right from the get-go.

Use the star method 

The best way for an employer to gauge what you would really be like as an employee is to ask behavioural questions. This may include anything from ‘can you give me an example of a time you had to deal with an angry customer?’ to ‘how do you keep yourself motivated when you’re not hitting target?’.

When answering behavioural questions, always try to do so using the STAR method.

Situation – describe the details of the situation you are using for your example

Task – what was the problem and what was your role in the situation?

Action – how did you handle the task or overcome the problem?

Result – what was the result of the situation?

If you would like help finding your next finance or accountancy job, please feel free to contact Choralis Consulting and we will be more than happy to help.