Skills to Highlight in Your Interview

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Skills to Highlight in Your Interview

The time has arrived, and you finally get the chance to interview for the job you want. You're a few minutes into the conversation and you're asked what skills you would bring to the role. If you don't know how'd you answer, it's time to think about what to say.

Here are four skills to consider highlighting in your next job interview, helping you stand out from the competition and land that coveted new role.

Teamwork

When it comes to teamwork, there are few people around today that know more about its importance in achieving big goals than basketball hall-of-famer Michael Jordan. He had this to say about teamwork: "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships."

This is a fairly broad term though, so you how do highlight teamwork when talking with a potential employer? Start by thinking about specific examples from your work experience where you worked well with others.

Maybe you were a part of a project that required many people from various areas of the business, and you were an integral reason for the project's success. Or perhaps there was the introduction of a new process and you worked closely with your leader to implement the system with no interruptions to service.

Work Ethic

Business leaders are looking for team members who are going to be dependable. They want to know that when you join the team, you'll show up on time, work hard during your shift, and be willing to stay late or work overtime when the job needs to get done.

If those describe your work habits, the interview is the time to highlight them. One common question in a job interview has to do with how former employers or co-workers would describe you. This is the ideal time to talk about your work ethic, initiative, and dedication to making sure the job is done well.

Learning

One of the skills that will help you stand out from other applicants is your ongoing pursuit of knowledge. Employers love to hire people who want to grow in their knowledge of the business or industry, but also in their own personal development.

Have you pursued more education, whether formally through an in-person or online classroom setting, or through your own self-study? That dedication to continual learning is something you should highlight in your interview. Make sure you let the interviewer know about your personal desire to keep learning and growing, and how you've taken actionable steps to improve yourself.

Problem Solving

If there's one thing that is constant while working, it's that problems will arise. Even the smallest problems need solutions, and that's where you can step in and show your strength. When you can demonstrate to a potential employer your ability to take care of problems or issues that come up, you set the standard that when they hire you, their business is getting someone who is ready to step in and immediately make an impact. 

As you're reviewing your work history in the interview, identify specific ways you helped solve a problem or took the initiative to have a solution to a potential problem. And if there was a cost savings involved with the solution, make sure you mention that in both your resume and your interview. 

If you need more information about job interviews, check out the Job Genius video, Top Interview Tips, which walks you through how to prepare for an interview, the questions you should be prepared to answer and ask, and which topics are appropriate to discuss. 

For nearly four decades, Express Employment Professionals has helped millions of people find work across North America. Contact one of our more than 825 locally owned Express offices today to learn more about opportunities available with the nearly 83,000 client companies we work with each year.