How to sell yourself during an interview

Regardless of how amazing your CV looks, if you don’t sell yourself to the hiring manager, your chances of getting the job will be pretty close to zero. Let’s face it, if you’re interviewing for a job you are both the product and the sales rep. It can be a little soul crushing to think of yourself as a mere product to be bought and sold, but that’s what commerce is; companies have a problem and you are selling them a solution. So while your work experience and CV preparation are a little like product development, the interview is the sales pitch. Like all good salespeople you need to ensure you prepare yourself before you sit down to meet with your potential customers. Below we’ve written a couple of suggestions you can follow in order to effectively sell yourself during an interview.

Present yourself as the solution

All companies have problems they need solved, whether it’s to do with their business intelligence, customer service or accounts. That means when you prepare yourself for the interview read over the job description and try to figure out what problems the company needs help with. Next you need to present yourself as someone who can solve these issues. Prepare examples from your past work experience detailing how you’ve solved similar problems in the past. Keep in mind, not all problems are industry specific, so if you lack relevant experience you can still show how your other skills will provide the solution the company is looking for.

Prepare your sound bites

This is another section that needs to be prepared beforehand. Put together a few “sound bites” that showcase your talents and how you can help the company. However, these aren’t called “sound bites” so you can just rattle off your previous work experience, they need to be catchy. You want to pick examples that will stick in the hiring manager’s mind. Pick your greatest accomplishments from your previous role and also think of ones that will make you stand out. Whatever your sound bites, be prepared to show the recruiter rather than simply tell.

Look for brand similarities

When you’re researching a company for a potential job role, have a look at the company brand and see whether it matches your own personal “brand”. This is an evaluation of whether the company culture, values and ethics match your own. It’s important to remember companies don’t only hire people who can do the job, they’re also looking for a good cultural fit. If you think you’re a good match, point this out during the interview. Make the hiring manager aware that you’re going to fit in with the rest of the team. If the company isn’t a good match for you, you might want to reevaluate whether you should apply for the job at all.

Watch your hands

No one wants to hire a human statue, unless of course you’re looking to do some work for a live art class; but, at the same time recruiters wouldn’t be interested in hiring someone who shakes their arms about like some kind of over excited One Direction fan. The way you sit, your facial expressions, and how you move your hands are all part of what’s callednon-verbal communication. You can say a lot about yourself without saying anything. Recruiters will pick up on subtle cues if you’re uncomfortable or being deceitful. Before you go to an interview, make sure you practice your handshake and your posture, then during the interview maintain appropriate amounts of eye contact when answering questions. All of this will help sell you to the hiring manager.

Be positive

There are certain things you should never say in an interview and one of them is bad mouthing your previous employer or manager. If you truly want to sell yourself during an interview, you need to be positive. Regardless of how you left your previous role, if you have to give a reason, try to spin it in a way that sounds positive. Recruiters look for positive candidates, and if you present yourself as this during the interview you will greatly increase your chances of landing the job.

Make sure you focus on your strengths and do your homework. The best way to sell yourself during an interview is to be prepared and know all the important information off by heart. That way when it comes time for the sales meeting you’ll be ready and can effectively sell your product and hopefully land a job.

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