This question translates into, “Why are you sitting in my office and why am I talking to you?”
This is a great opportunity to sell yourself into the role. Speak crisply because people associate that style of speech with self-confidence. You can’t speak as though you’ve never given it any thought or have no degree of certainty. You have to sound certain with your answer because part of what an employer is looking for is someone who can inspire confidence that they are to the solution to a need.
The ability to speak with certainty is critical when answering this question.
The answer to the question said with certainty is, “I understand the position is for such and such. What I understand your organization is about is that it’s a leader in its field or an organization with great adaptability or a place where people with talent in advance…” You rattle off four or five different criteria in quick succession.
You continue, “That’s exactly what I’m looking for. You see, my background with such and such would fit in nicely with what you are looking for. From the standpoint of what I bring to your organization, I bring a lot of driving passion for what I do, a determination to be successful, I play well with others but not to the point of subjugating a good idea and not trying to advance the idea.”
“I also work well with others, but not to the point of letting myself be pushed around. Ultimately, what you will have is an individual with a strong belief in themselves, a determination to excel. I work well with others but not to the point where I push them around or let myself be pushed around and who will work hard to make you look good.”
So, the idea, again, is to give yourself a commercial for why you are fit for the role and how you have the drive to be successful, your passion for what you do (you demonstrated that with how you answered the question) because it’s not just what you say that counts. It is how you tell your story that will come out in the interview.
Ⓒ The Big Game Hunter, Inc., Asheville, NC 2020
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. His work involves career coaching, all as well as executive job search coaching, job coaching, and interview coaching. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 1800 episodes, and is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.
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