How to win your next job: understanding your key strengths

Posted on 25 November, 2014

We, as women, are rarely encouraged to talk ourselves up. More often we find ways to downplay our skills and abilities, as we don’t want to be seen to be ‘blowing our own trumpet’. Unfortunately, in an interview situation, you need to find a way to sell yourself and be able to stand out from the competition.  The question “What skills or strengths would you bring to this role?” is one of the tough questions that really gives you a great opportunity to talk about the relevant skills you have and the outcomes you have achieved.

Our confidence in answering this question can be raised when we realise that if we are only stating some facts, then it’s not self-aggrandisement, it’s just telling a story about what we’ve achieved. Taking the time to reflect on your achievements gives you an excellent opportunity to sell yourself better in interviews and position yourself as the best candidate for the role!

Here are some steps to get you started…

Be aware of the difference between a skill, an attribute and knowledge.

• A skill is the ability to choose and perform the right technique at the right time, effectively and efficiently. For example, a skill could be resolving customer complaints.
• Personal attributes are traits that make up your personality, which define who you are as a person. For example, you could say you are a calm, confident and friendly person.
• Knowledge is the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject or task.  You could have knowledge about customer service, for example, how to deliver good customer service and the key elements.

What environments have I worked in?  What situations have I found myself in?

This could include any previous or current roles—bank teller, executive assistant, university student, volunteer roles, the life experiences you’ve had. Examples could include travel, planning a big event, raising children even running a household.

What were my main tasks in these environments or roles?

• Consider what you have been responsible for, how you managed your time, your communication skills and worked with the team.
• Consider the skills, knowledge and attributes you have utilised or developed in the different areas.

Example of identifying main tasks and skills

As a Bank Teller, I was responsible for responding to a variety of customer requests and enquiries via the telephone and face to face. I identified customer needs, managed complaints and used software programs to manage client financial information and services along with cash handling. 

I managed my time effectively by batching similar tasks together, ensuring I spent time on important versus urgent tasks and continuously built my product and process knowledge to more quickly satisfy client requests.

I worked effectively with the team by valuing everyone’s input, understanding personality and communication preferences may be different, meeting deadlines and helping others.

Skills as a Bank Teller: Communication , teamwork, negotiation, representation, prioritisation, cash handling, computer skills and problem solving.

What are my key achievements?  What am I most proud of?

• What did you achieve and how did you approach it?  What steps were involved?  What were your key tasks to achieve the result?
• What skills or special attribute/knowledge did it take to achieve those things?
• What beliefs or philosophies did you use to complete the task?
• Ask yourself why did I approach it that way and how do I know it was a good outcome

Another way of generating ideas is to review the job description and the selection criteria, and see if it sparks any memories of past accomplishments.

Example of a key achievement

As a Retail Assistant I was awarded employee of the month. I was 100% compliant with all the administration procedures and protocols and I exceeded my sales targets and received excellent customer feedback.  I believe it is my good work ethic and customer service skills that have enabled me to win the award. I believe in always doing my best and exceeding my employer’s expectations.

Of the achievements, which ones stand out and match the role requirements of a job I am considering?

• What skills stand out?
• List the skills and examples that are relevant to the role.
• Also, what feedback about your skills/talents have you been given by employers, friends and family? List these alongside the relevant role.
• Create a list of the skills and the examples you can list that demonstrate how you used the skills and what you achieved as a result.

Example of matching a key achievement with the role

If I was applying for an Office Manager role I would select my key achievements that show I have the attitude, experience, knowledge and skills to be a good coordinator and administrator, highly organised and a team player.

I resolved a long-standing client complaint regarding their invoices by building rapport with the client to better understand the background from the client’s perspective and then worked with my colleagues (here and interstate) to resolve the issue by re-calculating the costings and re-issuing an invoice which was correct and satisfied the client expectation.

The skills demonstrated are being highly organised, good customer service skills and strong interpersonal skills to influence my colleagues to re-work the invoice.

Ensure you separate out the most significant and relevant skills from the ones you’d like to have – so your list in concise, powerful and compelling.  In an interview, it is important to be able to recall the skill and the example, as this is the evidence that employers are looking for.

The best investment you can make in yourself is to understand and reflect on what your key strengths are. Don’t be afraid to learn through experimenting with your answers, as this will also be an opportunity to learn more about what feels right and the feedback you receive.

Feature image of woman looking for a job courtesy of Shutterstock.