Three Mistakes to Avoid When Interviewing Your Current Job
If you are anything like me, your work is not so easy to explain. This can make it difficult to answer hiring managers interview questions . Here are some of the most common mistakes people make when telling people about what they do for a living and what to say instead.
This post was originally published on the Muse website.
1. You say that it is impossible to explain
Trust me, I know what it’s like to get into the weeds trying to summarize your job description in plain language. Let’s say your current presentation involves creating complex reports of how often people change leather belts. You think it’s interesting and you know it gives you the right to do the job you’re about to be interviewed, but with all the intricacies that go into your current role, it’s tempting to just say, “I mean, this is it. deep. “I think both of us would be better off if I didn’t delve into my daily life.” But think about it from the employer’s point of view. Would you like to hire someone who is unwilling to talk about their current job? Probably no.
What to say instead
It’s okay to poke fun at some of the finer details of what you are doing, especially if you think your interviewer will enjoy listening to unfamiliar details of the analysis of belt buying habits. But don’t miss the question. Try using this formula instead:
My daily life includes [something in common about what you do], which has a big impact on how [the team you work with] approaches [what the team is responsible for].
So if we go back to our belt sourcing analyst, a good answer might look like this: “My day-to-day job is looking at purchase data, which has a big impact on how our sales team approaches prospect conversations. “
2. You use too much jargon to sound impressive.
On the other hand, it is also easy for our belt sourcing analyst to use jargon when describing his job to a potential employer. Imagine how overwhelming it would be if someone you interviewed spoke out about the pivot tables that came from your quarterly belt scrum session, leading you to conclude that the purchasing power delta of belt wearers is in Alaska was much lower than it was in the previous quarter. It’s not clear, right?
What to say instead
Again, be prepared for a response that clearly states what you are doing without completely confusing the interviewer. If you really want to use some specific examples or go into more detail on specific details, be prepared to guide the hiring manager through what you are talking to. So, in the case of a belt buying analyst, it might look something like this:
“I’m in charge of helping our sales team understand how often shoppers tend to change their belts, so this year I spearheaded an initiative to have monthly scrum meetings where we take some of the raw data I found and come up with some practical actions. next steps for our teams. “
You will notice that although this answer is a bit technical, it is still simple enough for the interviewer to understand. Better yet, this is the perfect tutorial for further conversations with this person.
3. It annoys you that you are asked to explain several times
It’s human nature to think during an interview, “Oh, how many times do I need to explain that I’m analyzing belt buying habits? And can we move on to why I made a great marketing analyst? “But when there is work at stake, it’s important that the question doesn’t get annoying. Remember, your job is not easy for an outsider to understand, and the hiring manager needs to know that you are qualified to join the team.
What to say instead
Here’s the thing: Many interviewers are aware that some jobs can be explained with one or two short sentences. So it’s only natural for them to ask a few clarifying questions about what you do for a living in order to find matching skills and responsibilities. And often they will be susceptible to a small dose of humor before you start responding. Read the room before doing this, but if you feel like something has opened, feel free to preface your answer with the following:
“Well, it might take a minute to explain, so I hope everything will be okay if I walk you through what I’m doing, because some of them probably won’t make sense at first.”
Of course, edit it to suit your own unique tone, but if you feel like you will soon be annoyed answering this question again, feel free to cheer up a little before you start describing it.
Life would be much easier if every position in the world could be explained in five words or less. Unfortunately, this is not the reality most people face. However, even if it takes you a few extra minutes to explain to the interviewer what you are doing, that’s fine. Bonus: When you explain your job in easy-to-grasp language, hiring managers know that you are a pretty quick-witted person who can make difficult things much easier to understand. And who doesn’t want that in an employee?
3 Easy Mistakes To Make When Describing Your Current Job In An Interview | Muse