The Importance of “I”
Hi No Ceiling Family,
I hope everyone was able to recharge over the weekend and having a productive week so far! For this week’s blog, I’m going to discuss the Importance of “I”, specifically during the interview process. Frequently during mock interviews I host, clients typically say phrases such as: our team, we, the group, together we reached, plus many other variations. These responses can make it difficult for an interviewer to have clarity on what actions you took for said project. I do want to callout, that being a team player is an essential skill in most roles, but the interviewer also needs to be able to end the interview knowing exactly what type of skills you have and the results they drove. For example, if an interviewer says “Tell me about a time, you led a project.” You would respond to the question in the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format. Once you begin to articulate “Actions”, a few good examples to start the response include: I created, I researched, I identified PCS, I performed data analysis, and many others. Your interviewer will will be able to understand your skills in practice and determine if they match the role.
More Tips for Responding to Behavioral Interview Questions
Take a moment: These questions are far from a yes-or-no inquiry. If you need a moment to think, take it—your interviewer should be understanding.
Don't ramble: Using the STAR technique should help keep you on track. Remember, you don't need to get too into the weeds on the nitty-gritty details of the situation and task. Describe it in broad strokes and avoid any company-specific jargon that might stand in the way of the interviewer following your story.
Tell a good story: By sharing on-point examples, you'll keep the interviewer engaged and demonstrate your strengths as a candidate.
Quantify if you can: If your action resulted in a quantifiable result—such as improved sales or reduced customer complaints—be sure to mention that.
Are you ready to take the next step and starting preparing for your interviews with me? Schedule a consult & let’s connect this week!
“You get to decide where your time goes. You can either spend it moving forward, or you can spend it putting out fires. You decide. And if you don’t decide, others will decide for you.” —Tony Morgan
-Alexandria
