National Job Network

The purpose of a job interview is to sell yourself to an employer.

And while every interview is different, there are a few guidelines you can follow to ensure that you present yourself in the right manner. Here are four things to do in your next interview that are sure to impress.

Be the solution to their problems.

You should always prepare for an interview by researching and identifying the problems that the company has and that are hinted at in the job ad. Then, be prepared to give a few examples of how you’ll be able to solve those problems and how you have solved similar problems in the past. If you learn how to tell stories about the specific results you have achieved in the past you can impress potential employers and show them how they could benefit from hiring you.

Back it up.

Be prepared to back up your skills and qualifications with specific stories that prove you accomplishments. Instead of telling a potential employer that you have great leadership skills, tell them a story about the types of teams or projects you have lead.

Prepare talking points from you resume.

Use your resume as an outline for the interview. Although you will want to be able to elaborate on what the employer already sees on your resume, following your resume can be a good way to focus the interview. But because resumes are brief and simply show what you did, be prepared to expand on how you did those things.

Be positive.

While some interviewers will ask you questions to provoke negative responses, resist the urge to complain about a former employer, no matter how badly things ended for you in a previous position. Complaining about previous jobs or employers can make you seem difficult to work with. So if asked why you left your previous position, instead of complaining about your incompetent manager, use the opportunity to make yourself seem more hirable and say something about needing more challenge or room for growth.