With the increased competition around for technial posts in the current economic climate – should you be invited for a job interview, you need to have done as much preparation as possible. One technique that you could consider preparing to use is the present to and tell strategy
In essence, this tactic is born out of the fact that most interview panel members are more tempted by demonstrations of skills than declarations of skills. So, you are better off using an example through which you can sell the notion that you have varied skills than just stating “I have good time management skills” or phrases like that
Your goal is to create the setting for you to exhibit to off your skills and then be ready to pounce, with relevant examples of your work, to exploit that opportunity to sell the notion that you have the skills that the interview panel are looking for. To pull this off you need to focus on two tasks:
1. Set up the Play
2. Display Your Deeds
To get them to ask for your work, look at using some of the following words to create your opportunity:
* If you’re interested I could present to you…
* If you wanted to know more, I have the (report) with me right here…
* If it would be appropriate, you could have a look at…
* I have a written precis of the project here, if you wanted to see it…
* If it would help…
You also need to be ready to show your work whenever the time comes, right at the interview. In order to do this, pick out one or two projects that you could use for this strategy. Choose the projects that * have work already in a written or electronic form * which sell the most amount of skills, which are relevant for the post that you are being interviewed for * that would be most likely brought up in the job interview
Anticipate which questions could fall out from the job interview panel, after they have scan your report for the first time and with no real warning. You could ask a friend or colleague to quickly review your project work and let you know what questions naturally follow from their minds.
You may also want to consider leaving a copy of this work with them to review at their leisure. Ensure that it is well presented and looks professional. It will help them remember you when they are going through their post job interview discussion of the versatile candidates