Interviewing is a special skill that takes lots of practice! There are many tips and tricks that can improve your interviewing skills, but one thing to always keep in mind is that the interview, contrary to popular belief, is actually not all about you. A prospective employer wants to know about you, but more importantly, they want to know about how you will benefit them as a company. They want to make sure your skills and experience match the position requirements, that you are a good fit for their corporate culture, and that having you in the position will enhance the performance of the company in some way. Your job in the interview is to prove all of this to them.

In your job interview, make sure you focus your answers so they show how you will benefit the employer. When discussing your skills, relate them to specifics about the position you’re interviewing for. When talking about your experience, give examples of how it’s similar to what you’ll be doing in this job. And make sure you impress upon them how valuable you can be to them once given the opportunity. Quantify your answers and show ways in which you have improved the success or performance of companies you’ve worked for in the past and find ways to explain how you can do the same for them. Assuming you’ve done your homework prior to the interview, you can also discuss how you will fit into their team dynamic and how well you will mesh in their corporate culture. They want someone who can jump in with both feet, who won’t need a lot of hand holding. Let them know that you are just that person.

Expressing yourself and letting prospective employers know about you and your background are essential in any interview. What will set you apart from your competition is making sure you also let them know how hiring you will benefit them. Making the interview not all about you is the key!