Selling Yourself at the Job Interview



Brian is an experienced interview coach. Mob 0430972578
Rehearse with a professional & learn to sell yourself more confidently

A job interview is no time to be modest

Job interview success is as much about your selling and communication skills, as it is about your technical and job specific skills.


You've got to be able to sell yourself - both in your written application and at the job interview. Many of us have been conditioned to be modest and avoid "blowing our own trumpet" - and yet this mindset will definitely be counter-productive to our chances of success at the interview. 

Presuming you are offered one - what are some of the keys to performing well during the job interview? Here are seven quick interview tips ......

1. When you are first introduced to the interviewers, be friendly and smile, and make sure you look them in the eye when you shake hands. Wait to be invited to take a seat - don't just sit down. The interviewers will probably take a minute or two for some small talk, so be natural and conversational - they're just trying to set you at ease.
2. Practice and rehearse your response to a very common opening interview question "Tell us a bit about yourself" ...... It is the opportunity to highlight some of the major elements of your past experience and work history that is most relevant to the position you are applying for. It is also an opportunity to make reference to some of your major achievements - without yet going into too much detail (there will be more opportunity to do that in responding to later questions). It is a a time to refer to some of the strengths and qualities that you would bring to the position - and it is the time to show and explain why you have such an interest in the role and the organisation.
3. Don't rush your answers. Pause and take a breath before replying to a question. This will allow you a few moments to actually collect your thoughts - and it projects more composure on your part
4. In the case of being interviewed by a panel, share your eye contact between all of the interviewers - although the person who asked you the question should receive the majority of your eye contact.
5. Occasionally use the names of the interviewers when you are responding to their question - but avoid overkill on this
6. Don't be afraid to take in some brief notes to help remind you of some of your relevant achievements as they relate to each of the selection criteria. But only have a few bullet points that serve as memory joggers when you glance down - avoid lengthy text which has to be read.
7. Prepare examples for answering behavioural questions. These types of questions ask you for specific examples of when you have displayed a particular capability or quality. eg. "Tell us about a time when you displayed initiative in the workplace" or "Give us an example of when you were faced with an angry customer and how you handled the situation". A common way of structuring your response to a behavioural question is through the use of "STAR" - in which you briefly describe the Situation and the nature of the task or challenge you dealt with. You describe the Actions and approaches that you took. And then describe the Result and outcome to the situation (ie. this might involve explaining in what way your actions resolved the problem successfully)

In closing, the job interview is no time for modesty on your part. It is the time for you to tell your story in a convincing and confident manner - because if you don't speak up about your strengths and achievements with conviction, then who will?

Are you looking for an experienced interview coach located in Melbourne?

By the way, if you're interested in getting some one-on-one interview training to polish your interview skills, then I can help.  My name is Brian Carroll and I bring more than 20 years of experience in the field of interview skills training, interview coaching and recruitment. I can help you find that extra edge that you are seeking. 

I've worked with a wide variety of people wanting to improve their interview skills - from senior executives to new graduates. In particular, people wanting to improve their ability to handle behavioural interview questions - which the public sector places such a heavy emphasis upon in their interviews.  A 90 minute intensive interview coaching session costs $250.

Just call me on 0430 972 578, and have a chat, to see if you would benefit from one-on-one interview training. I'm located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne (Mooroolbark, which is past Ringwood). For more information, take a look at Interview Coaching Melbourne 

What are interviewers looking for ......

You might find the following short video clip interesting - it offers some useful reminders about what interviewers are actually looking for in candidates during the interview ......