Job Qualifications Questions and
Interview Answers Part
II
This is the second
part of Job Qualification Questions Part
I.
You do not seem to
have this skill.
Why should we hire you?
This is another
favorite for interviewers to ask especially of people new
to a field or just out of school.
The catch with this question is you have to admit you
have a weakness in your job candidacy which you would otherwise
rather not like to admit, but you still want to show you are a
viable candidate.
Here, are some tips on how you can give a top notch
answer:
-
Agree with them from the
start:
By agreeing with their statement, you help diffuse
some of the statement’s power and, it allows you to address
the question from your area of strength which will be
comparable school or work
experience.
-
Admitting weakness can be
a strength:
Since any decent interviewer would be able to quickly
surmise that you do not have a certain skill, do not be
afraid to disclose this as one of your
weaknesses.
Do not let your ego get in the
way.
Remember you are who you are and you want to answer their
questions in a way that shows
this.
-
Give comparable
experiences:
Even if you do not have a certain skill, it does not
mean you do not have experiences where you have utilized
similar skills.
Be sure to let the interviewer know of these
instances and state how they are
comparable.
-
Show Them You are a Quick
Study: One
concern of employers is their fear that they will have to
do a lot of on-the-job training for new
employees.
One thing you can do is show them from past examples
that you are a quick study or learn very quickly when you
are interested in the subject
matter.
Basically,
you want to convey to him that even though you may
currently lack a certain skill, you will be able to pick up
the skill very quickly and so he will not have to do much
training in this
area.
-
Get experience in this
area: Often
times, you will know what skills are needed for certain
positions as these skills tend to stay relatively the
same.
If you know that you do not have certain skills
presently, make an effort to join organizations, seminars,
training classes, etc. to get those skills going into the
interview.
It does not even matter if these activities are still
on-going during the interviews, you merely want to state
that you are addressing that skill deficiency by doing
these things.
For instance, if your job requires Excel computer
skills.
You could take a Excel Training Class and go to a few
Excel Tips Seminars.
These classes won’t make you an expert or be a
substitute to actual work experience; however, they will
give you some ammunition to bolster your “I may not have
that skill now, but in a short while I will be a
pro.
-
State You Want The
Job: This
should be a given in all interviewers whether you actually
want the position or not.
However, in this case, you want to show the
interviewer that you are hungry and eager to
work.
Something about this mindset has a strong impact on
the interviewer which allows you to stand out in the
interview.
It could very well be that the hiring decision turns
on the interviewer’s opinion of who wants the job
more.
Make it clear that you are that
person.
You seem to be
overqualified.
Why should we hire you?
This is a killer
question for those people who are transitioning from
another career or those who are trying to get out of a
bad situation.
The employer believes you have the skills to do the job,
but worries you won’t be around long enough to help the
company.
Here is how to best attack this situation so you put your
best foot forward:
-
State You Want The
Job:
Much like for clients that are under qualified, you
also want to make clear this job is not beneath you in
anyway.
State this straight
away.
-
Okay With Less
Pay: Often
times, when you transition or downshift, you will be
working for less money.
Some interviewers will want to know why it is that
you would ever want to do this.
This is where you state how this job lines up with
your future plan.
Make it clear that you would rather make less money
now in the short run than to continue to work at a position
you do not like.
Essentially, you will be describing the quality of
life argument: less work hours to spend more time with the
family, the opportunity to do something new, less stressful
work environment, etc.
The main point here is to stress the decision is
based not on money but on other factors that you value
more.
-
Describe Why This Is A
Good
Opportunity
:
Let the interviewer know why you believe this
position will allow your career to
grow.
State like many others, you do not see this as out of
the ordinary.
Even point out the current trend that as company
structures become more and more horizontal, it is not
uncommon for job seekers to make a number of lateral
moves.
In other words, you are trying to normalize your
candidacy by showing why this move is in your best
interest.
-
Point Out Over-Qualified
Is A Positive Not A
Negative:
Try to change some of the tenor of this question by
stating why you believe you would actually be a
positive addition.
Show the interviewer they are getting a top level
talent at dirt cheap prices and the training cost will be
low because you already have a number of the
qualifications.
-
Promise Them Two
Years: One
fear employers have is if they hire you, you will be out
the door as soon as a better job comes
along.
Make a promise to them that you will work for them
for two years.
By bringing this issue out in the open, you help take
away some of the interviewer’s fears and also give a
credible answer.
-
The Interviewer Is The
Boss: Another
fear employers have is that because of your expertise, they
may feel threatened by you or worry that you will challenge
their authority at work.
It is unfortunate this perception exists, but as a
job seeker, you must be able to diffuse this type of
situation.
We recommend that you make clear in the interview
that you are open to suggestions and instructions and that
you are aware of this type of issue and will be sure to
know “your place” in the new
position.
Armed
with these types of questions and answer tips, you should be
able to handle just about any job qualification
questions.
*To get
examples of behavioral interview questions, check
out behavioral interview
questions.
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