I'm a good communicator, I'm self-motivated, I'm a good leader, I can work with my colleagues, I can manage time well etc.
Recruiters might have heard such answers when the job seekers were asked to say about their skills. Mere statements can't lead you anywhere. You have to substantiate your claims and you should stand out from others. Then only you have a chance to land a job.
It isn't difficult to give specific examples to illustrate what you possess if you prepare for the interview. Such an exercise definitely draws the recruiters' attention in job interviews. Pre-interview preparation is a must whether you are seeking an internship or a full-time job.
For instance, as a fresh graduate you are seeking an entry level job and in the interview you are asked to tell them about your greatest strength, your response should go something like this:
Well I begin my projects without directions from others as I enjoy working on my own. I like to try new things. This response shows you are self-motivated.
Or you can draw the attention of the recruiter if you say something like this:
I'm very self-motivated. You might have heard that many times; let me explain to you. I have volunteered to work part-time at the computer help desk in our college. As I was interested in helping people with computer related problems, I requested our information director to guide me to work at the desk. In the end, both of us were benefited. While the director got the much needed help, I gained hands-on experience. I would not have gained such an experience otherwise.
The second response is more interesting because the student has substantiated his statement with an example. Recruiters like such responses as they don't often come across them.
This response format can usefully be adopted while responding to interviewer's hypothetical questions. Suppose you are asked: "You are with a small group working on a project and you have a conflict with a team member, how would you solve the issue?
Your response: I will first talk to the team member to see whether we can iron out our differences. If that doesn't work, I will seek my superior's intervention as it is necessary to resolve the conflict.
Your second response: Such a situation had arisen when we were doing a group project on a social psychology project. One of our group members is not sharing the work. I spoke to the other members about it and they too agreed with me. I volunteered to talk to the person and I did well in doing so. I came to know that his mother had been in the hospital for weeks and he was stressed out. He was having trouble with his classes as well. I persuaded him to approach the school's counseling centre. He did go there and got the needed help. We then shared the work and successfully completed the project.
Your second response is more persuasive. You have said more than just telling them what you would do in a conflict situation like that; you explicitly explained how you had handled the situation. You have decidedly made the recruiter to conclude that you have the ability to professionally handle such situations.
Examples speak more than mere bland statements. So think about the questions you will be fielding in a job interview. Be sure to prepare responses based on real life experiences and stories that would force the recruiter to think that you are not jest telling what you are, but showing him what you can do. With such a performance you be the chosen one.
