How to Sell Yourself During a Job Interview

The interview for a position is your best opportunity to make your case as to why you deserve to be hired. Most likely, you have already applied for the position and furnished your resume; so you are at least comforted by the fact that you have already cleared the requisite threshold. Closing the deal requires that you perform well in the interview. Performing well demands that you sell yourself well to the interviewer. 

Before the interview, take time to review your resume and chart the various ways your previous experience aligns with the requirements of the position you are seeking. Linking your experience with the new job will enable you to find which traits and skills you possess will be most advantageous during the interview. Your goal is to honestly position your experiences and success with the role of the new position. The better you can convey how you are perfect for the position the better your chances at landing the job.

Many of the ways you can sell yourself during an interview involve your non-verbal means of communication. Positive non-verbal communication includes looking the interviewer in the eye when listening and speaking, smiling or projecting a positive disposition throughout the meeting, and sitting erect in your seat and maintaining focus.

During the interview, when asked a question about a previous position, be sure to include examples of how you were able to succeed along with what part of your personality or experience inspired that success. Explaining an accomplishment may not be sufficient in informing the interviewer of your unique skills. Instead of leaving it to chance whether the interviewer recognizes your specific prowess, detail why you took the approach you chose and where you learned to operate in that fashion. For example: A common question during an interview involves dealing with challenges. Instead of describing how you were able to overcome the challenge, add to your depiction that you learned the conflict resolution skills you employed through previous experience or training. Adding greater context to your accomplishments gives the interviewer a sense that you are the type of person who is hungry to learn new and better ways to accomplish tasks and that by hiring you they can expect similar adaptability.

Focus the conversation toward your specific gifts and experience. Your goal should be to transition each inquiry into an example of an occasion where you exemplified professional and appropriate action. One rule to follow is to seize every opportunity to explain why you can not only survive in the position, but thrive.

Above all, the interview is you one opportunity to distinguish yourself from your peers. By maintaining  focus on the opportunity to describe why you are the most qualified candidate for the job, you will not miss an opening to sell yourself and score the position.