U.S. Jobs Are Up, So Is Hiring: Four Things to Say in Your Next Job Interview

Posted on Feb 6, 2012 in Hiring Hub | 0 comments

As widely reported over the weekend, including here, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a surprisingly strong jobs report this past Friday. Specifically, the economy created 243,000 jobs in January. The unemployment rate dropped to 8.3 percent from 8.5 percent the previous month and 9.1 percent a year ago.

What does all of this mean to you? It means that more companies are hiring, and that you need to be prepared to excel in your next job interview. That said, we all know that interviewing for a job is tough. You’re nervous, you don’t know all the specs of the job, you don’t know what the interviewer wants to hear.  The list of challenges goes on and on. But to get the job, you need to give the right information. Since you don’t know the right information, keep it simple. Don’t over emphasize or exaggerate. Also make sure you include the following talking points flowing in the conversation:

  1. You are continuing to learn and keep up with your industry/discipline. Old skills or a lack of knowledge about an industry will leave the hiring manager wondering why you want this job.
  2. When you speak about your accomplishments, let the interviewer know what happened next. What you did might be an accomplishment in your mind, but your interviewer will want to know what happened next, how it affected the organization, what the outcomes were, etc.
  3. Let the interviewer know what you want to do in the future. Knowing that will help the interviewer see what your future in the company can be.
  4. Remember, it’s not about you … it’s about what the company needs. Even if you don’t know all the specs of the open position, you should know the basics of the company and industry and how you can help.  It may not fit the job, but it will give the manager a sense of the time and interest you really have in the position.

You may need a job, but that is not a reason for a company to hire you. They need the best person to help them. Make sure you give them the information they want to hear—so that your next job is counted among those referenced in the U.S. Department of Labor’s next jobs report.