There are two paths a job interview can take. One is a behavioral interview, which focuses on your personality traits, temperament and how you would respond to certain workplace scenarios. The other is an experience-based interview, which allows a would-be employer to discover what experience and skills you have and how they would make you a good candidate for the job. That’s not to say an interviewer won’t blend these approaches. But depending on the job you’re after, one will likely be more prominent. In this post, you’ll learn how to excel at an experience-based interview.

Step 1 – Match a Job Posting to Your Skills

Before you even get the call for an interview, carefully review the description of the job you’ve applied for. Identify the specific skills you have that match the desired skills in the job listing. Then, think of specific times you’ve put those skills to use in prior jobs. That will prove you not only have the skills an employer is looking for, but that you’ve used them.

Step 2 – Define Your Successes

Everyone has a different idea of what success means to them. For the purposes of an interview, however, you’ll want to demonstrate success in terms of what you’ve been able to accomplish in your experience. Were you a leader in production numbers at a prior position? Did you come up with a new process that saved your area time and money? These are successes that deserve to be put in the spotlight. Find yours.

Step 3 – Know How to Handle Experience-Based Questions

The questions you get in an interview will vary depending on the situation, you’re your approach to answering these questions should be consistent.

• Be concise – Keep your answer focused on the question, and don’t wander off to other topics.
• Give examples – Be prepared to give details of your successes. Use numbers when you can; otherwise, be specific in terms of how what you did helped the company and your co-workers.
• Stay positive – You will probably be asked about challenges you’ve faced in previous jobs. When talking about problems you’ve encountered, own up to your responsibility, describe what you’ve learned from the experience, and demonstrate what techniques you’ve adopted to keep those types of problems from happening again.

Arrow Can Get You Ready

Whether you’re looking for resources to make yourself more marketable or you need help finding the right opportunity for you, look to Arrow Staffing. We get to know the real you, learning about your experience and career goals. We’ll work hard to match you with the best position possible. Start your job search here.