The Five Advanced Tips You Need to Know to Get Hired

Now that you have read about the first five basic rules to start any interview off right, it is time to examine the advanced tips that will set you a part from the crowd. In today's market, the most desirable jobs are almost as competitive as a pro football game. You need to bring your best defense and offence on the field if you hope to have a sporting chance. 

The Five Advanced Tips You Need to Know to Get Hired:

1. Know your weaknesses. 

One of the most popular questions a hiring manager will ask is, "What is your biggest weakness?" Don't let this question be your Achilles heel that sends your interview on a downward spiral. Everyone has blind spots as well as strengths, just like in sports, but the important thing is how you will interact in the team. The key is to sell your strengths and present your weaknesses strategically. Acknowledge your weaknesses, but provide a solution or a game plan on how to improve. This will show you in a much better light than if you try to justify it, sugarcoat it, or just brush it off. An example of this would be, "I'm a bit of a workaholic. But, I find that if I plan vacations or small breaks, I can balance this aspect of my personality." An alternative is to turn your weakness into a strength, which can be tricky to do and works in only some situations. An example of this would be, "My weakness is that I work too much, but that's because I'm dedicated worker and I love what I do." 

Watch what happens to habitual liar Jen from The IT Crowd, one of my favorite British Comedies, tries to get away with not knowing something vital for her job. Somehow she manages to turn her weakness into a strength, and therefore shows that she is indispensable. But be warned: she is a professional actress, do not try this at home.

P.S. IT stands for Information Technology, but Jen's explanation is much more humorous. Click here for The IT Crowd: Complete Collection of 4 Seasons.

2. Sell your strengths.

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Another popular question interviewers ask is, "what is your biggest strength?" This is your opportunity to toot your own horn and show the hiring manager what you bring to the table. Show them how you will fit in their team and company, and how you will become irreplaceable. But be careful. You want to highlight your most marketable skills, but not sound like you are bragging or condescending. Strengths should also be carefully worded and relevant to the job at hand. A word of caution. Do not lie. I repeat, do not lie. You may be able to fool someone for a few minutes in one interview, but the truth will eventually come out. If you actually get the job and they find out that you lied, they have grounds for dismissal.

3. Get to know your interviewer and prospective employer. There are a few reasons why it is so advantageous to get to know someone before you come in to the interview. First of all people are naturally drawn to people who are similar or interested in them. Secondly, and more importantly, the more you know about something the more informed of a decision you can make.  This makes for a better match on both sides of the equation which will equal out to job satisfaction and employee productivity. Thirdly, the more you know about someone and their needs, the easier it is to market yourself to them. 

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4. Know what behavioral questions are and how to answer them. Behavioral questions are just that, questions based on your behavior. But the key behind them is typically to see what kind of behavior you have exhibited in the past, and what you are likely to do in the future. Check out this great article to find out more about behavioral questions and how to answer them to your advantage: http://biginterview.com/blog/behavioral-interview-questions.

[Via Pixabay]

5. Leave a good impression. Last but not least, be sure to leave a good impression with your interviewer. Let them know you are the professional they have been looking for. Ask them when they can follow up with you and get a commitment on time. If a recruiter or hiring manager asks when you are available for another interview or when to start, then you know you are on the right track.

[Via Pixabay]

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