Leadership is a major buzzword among employers, so one of the best things you can do as a job-seeking candidate is prove to an interviewer that you can lead a group of people to success.
How can you best showcase your leadership skills to an interviewer?
1. Make sure to discuss relevant past accomplishments.
How can you convince your interviewer that you have the capacity to lead others? Tell him exactly how you’ve done it in the past. It seems obvious, but people often neglect to do this. Even if you weren’t in a leadership position, give examples such as a time when you served as a mediator between two people who were having trouble communicating, or the project on which you took an active lead and got results out of classmates or co-workers. If you can talk about why and how your leadership led to a positive outcome, all the better.
2. Show how the numbers add up.
Many people are good at using numbers and details to quantify accomplishments on their resumes, but fail to do so during interviews. Be sure you know the numbers behind your achievements, and share them! For example, instead of just saying you led a project, say you led an 8-person team to complete a 25-page analysis that led to a $2 million acquisition by your company.
3. Prove that you can act decisively.
Interviewers often ask you to talk about a challenge you faced and how you overcame it. In addition to giving facts, explain how you took initiative and made decisions. Good leaders are able to evaluate situations effectively and act quickly, so make sure you have a story that proves you have these skills for your interview.
4. Speak like a leader.
Another great way to display your leadership skills? Through your interaction with your interviewer. A major part of your goal is to get the interviewer to want to hire you. She doesn’t have to like you, but she has to believe that you will be an asset if you’re hired. Staying calm and confident throughout the conversation will help convince her. Practicing anticipated interview questions, and conducting research on the company and industry will help with both of these.
5. Show your interest.
When you’re asked, “Why do you want to work for this company?” you need to have a good answer, one that shows exactly why the company would be a good fit for you. This may be hard, especially if you’ve been interviewing for months and don’t have actual passion for this particular job. But the best leaders are able to bring people onto their side by being persuasive. By showing passion for the company and the position, you’ll convince him that you’ll represent the company in a positive light.
Want to practice your interviewing skills with an expert? Better yet, want to use them to get your dream job? Contact the hiring experts at Synerfac today!