The Keys to Having a Successful Job Interview

“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate
to stand before you today as I make my defense.”
Acts 26:2

Somewhere we’ve picked up the notion that selling yourself in a job interview is supposed to emulate the snake oil salesperson from long ago. You know the kind of person I’m talking about. The one that’s full of bluster, talks loud, makes outrageous claims, doesn’t listen to the audience, except to point out that the product will solve every problem.

But the claim that selling yourself in an interview should be like this character couldn’t be further from the truth.  Rather, when you interview, you should be characterized by honesty, integrity, transparency, and sensitivity. You are displaying God’s work in you!

Understand your strengths…

The flip side of this same coin represents those that have the notion that selling yourself is a sin.  It’s being proud, boastful, and arrogant. They expect God to somehow send their selling points directly to the interviewer’s smart phone, so they won’t have to do anything. Not going to happen. You need to know yourself as God’s unique creation and be able to describe the strengths and traits He has given you and discuss how they fit the interviewers’ business needs.

How can you do this with honesty, integrity, transparency, and sensitivity?

• Honesty: Timothy tells us to:  “Study to show yourself approved…” (II Tim. 2:15).  Study yourself. Know your abilities, skills, strengths, accomplishments, and experience. When you know yourself this well, you can truly describe all of the traits, experience, and accomplishments God has given you.
• Integrity: With integrity, you need to also be able to identify your weakness, what you can’t do, those areas where you need the team. Paul told us, “In my weakness…. (II Cor. 12:9), and Joseph demonstrated this when he told Pharaoh he couldn’t do what Pharaoh asked, but God could (Genesis 41:16).
• Transparency: This is the balance of your strengths and weaknesses, your experience, and lack of experience, your skills and deficiencies. Humble transparency dissolves the need for the interviewer to try and dig out inconsistency.  It makes you human, real, and dependable.
• Sensitivity: What are the needs the employer is facing, what do they need? How can you help address those? This is what you are trying to be sensitive to.  Don’t just talk about you—talk about them.  Show interest, intelligence, and empathy, and back it up with your accomplishments.

When you are honest, show integrity, demonstrate transparency, and exhibit sensitivity, you are well on your way to a job offer.

Father of light, shine your light that I may see myself in all my created uniqueness, and the needs of each employer.

If you would like to explore working with a Christian centered Career Coach, contact me for a no-obligation consultation and we can discuss your situation, what you would like to achieve, and structure your job search to fit your uniqueness.