Four Interview Questions Candidates Find Most Difficult: Interview Question #2

Each week, Catherine will pose a new interview question and teach you how to come up with your own valuable answer. Using these tips will help you reply with confidence and make you stand out among your competitors.

Interview Question #2: “Why should I hire you when I’m interviewing candidates with industry experience?”

Don’t be intimidated by this interview question. Many candidates fear they could lose ground with the interviewer as soon as it arises; however, interviewers aren’t ruling you out because you don’t have industry experience. They simply want to know if you can respond by sharing the qualities you possess which would make you fit like the last piece of their company’s puzzle.

You don’t have to have industry experience to bring these qualities to a new company; sometimes it’s best not to have industry experience because you won’t have preconceived notions that your new employer will have to “undo.”When this interview question comes up, it’s the ideal opportunity for you to toot your own horn.

Even if you don’t have experience that directly relates to the position, every job has transferable skills – and those can make you the best fit for a position if you communicate them correctly.

Talk about skills you’ve developed elsewhere and how you’ll apply them to the position once you’re hired. Let the interviewer know you’re dependable, motivated, knowledgeable and can easily adapt to new circumstances.

That’s all part of your interview game plan – you’re there to show the interviewer why your skill set is a perfect match for the position (and ultimately their company). Don’t get hung up on what other candidates with industry experience have that you don’t; stick to your game plan and talk about the value you will bring to the organization.

From an interviewer’s perspective, sometimes the best candidate does not have previous industry experience. It’s often more difficult for an employer to teach an old dog new tricks than it is to start from scratch – and that alone might make you more desirable to the employer. Coming from another field, you won’t have preconceived notions about how the job should be done; it may be easier to train you than to re-teach someone with decades of industry experience.

Remember, even candidates with specific industry experience need to fit into the culture of the organization before they can get hired. It’s no different for you. If you can show the interviewer you have what it takes to solve their problems and prove you’ll be a good fit, you’re more likely to be hired than someone who’s set in their ways and only wants the job title or higher pay.

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To work with a career coach and conduct mock interviews, contact
Catherine Palmiere,
Palmiere Career Services
CP@PalmiereCareerServices.com
(212)557-9162