When you search Google for the words “Interview Preparation,” you will come up with approximately 756,000,000 results. While I am sure you can find an abundance of valuable information, it is very difficult to navigate through all of the content available on the Internet to determine what is truly pertinent and effective for your interview and personal experience.

A few questions might immediately come to mind:

“What is effective right now in my industry?”

“What are hiring managers most impressed by?”

I have noticed a consistent and trending pattern over the last few years…

Interviewers and hiring managers want to learn about candidates through specific and detailed examples of their work and background.

BE A STORY TELLER

Many companies will include behavioral or situational interview questions—perhaps not for the entire interview, but a few of these questions can definitely be expected. Whether the questions are “situational” or more traditional, hiring managers are impressed by well thought out examples such as success stories that showcase highlights of a candidate’s career. As opposed to more general responses that do not offer depth, detail or insight.

   -Perhaps you can share an explanation of how you overcame a challenge or a difficult situation.

   -Volunteer how you helped to resolve a past conflict or issue with a co-worker or supervisor.

   -Explain a project that you completed before an important deadline, under budget, or with distinction.

Managers want to learn about who you are through tangible examples of your experience, success, accomplishments, and conflict resolution, so that they leave the interview with a firm grasp of the type of person they would be hiring.

Before your next interview…

Visualize: Store up examples in your head and practice verbalizing (2-3 success stories and 2-3 challenges). These can include:

• Career highlights, recent achievements or accomplishments
• Situations where you overcame a challenge or obstacle
• Successful conflict resolution
• Accomplishing a significant individual or team goal
• Completion of a project exceeding expectations

Important Tips:

Be Brief-Keep your examples concise (1-2 minutes each) and do not ramble or digress from the topic.

Be Positive-Focus on your success and positive outcomes. Refrain from being negative, even when discussing conflicts or challenges of any kind.

Be Specific-Examples that are too general or high level will lose the effect.

Ultimately, preparation and planning is the key to a successful interview. Be sure to take the time to plan, prepare and practice your examples and success stories so that you are ready to inject them into the process as you are answering questions. Your ability to tell stories and use specific examples will ensure a successful interview and differentiate you from your competitors.