So tell me a story? Seems like such a simple request and most people do it all day. Most people prepare for an interview by sitting down and going over their strength, weaknesses, and come up with some catch phrase like, “I work well in teams and I am a hard worker.” Interviews are the most unreliable technique used by companies when evaluating potential talent. It’s not going away any time soon but there are ways to increase the likelihood that you’ll get called back for another interview. Get really good at telling your story when you are asked behavioral questions. Here are some examples of how they start:
- Tell me about a time when you
- Describe to me how you would handle the following situation
- You’ve been hit with a crisis. Tell me how you would think through handling it
- Walk me through how you manage
- How do you deal with an angry customer and how do you defuse the situation
I was doing some mock interviews with an Army officer and his experience was diverse. He was concerned about his military experience translating into the roles he applied for. I asked him, “Have you ever had to work through a crisis or stressful situation, have you ever had to manage a large project, have you ever done public speaking in front of executives or high-ranking positions, or have you ever had to manage a budget?” Of course his response was yes to all of those questions. I told him to tell me a story about those situations. His anxiety disappeared and he told me the most amazing stories and even made me laugh a few times.
Where you got your experience doesn’t matter to the right company. As a Human Resources professional, I want to know if you can exhibit certain qualities or have experience in areas like project management, employee relations, thinking quick on your feet, staying cool under pressure, fiscal responsibility, etc. So even if you are asked what your strengths are, blow the interviewers mind by telling them a great story from your military career that embodies that strength.
