Well, that would be one of the most common questions you are expected to be asked in an interview of any field be it a cabin crew or a business analyst. The interviewer asks a host of questions to assure himself that you are the right person for that job opening you have applied for.
Answering that question would need you to be prepared well enough. Of course, you have got all the answers pertaining to your skills and can expertly answer them, but answering this particular question would need you to research well enough.
Preparation for Answering Experiences & Skills for Jobs
Go through the job posting before leaving for the interview. The job description in itself should provide you enough information on how to answer those questions. Studying a little about the company and its culture can be yet another excellent option to understand what does the interviewer is expecting from you.
The job description comes with the skills that the current job opening needs as the basic requirements. If you have any additional skills, make sure you mention them without being egoistic. That would help you introduce yourself as someone who is willing to go above the responsibilities vested in him.
You can even offer a few examples from your college life or in an earlier job. Just make sure that the examples you present are relevant to the role you have applied for. Now, let us see some ideas on how to answer the question based on your experiences and skills for the job.
How to Answer the Question – “Tell us About Your Skills & Experiences”?
Well, as we stated, there are several ways you can answer that question. Most of that would be dependent on which role you have applied for.
It may be useful to check this video for a better understanding –
In fact, this can be an excellent option to showcase your strengths and expertise without going overboard. It can be the right platform to market yourself in the right way. You can alternatively be asked – “What skills & experiences can you bring to this role?”. The answer shall still remain the same.
Let us analyze a few possible ways you can answer this question with a few examples.
Example 1 – If you are Joining a Retail Outlet
Retail outlets like Costco invariably ask this question. The best way to answer the question would be to answer the question with due knowledge of the company and its growth trajectory. Frame your answers in such a way that the interviewer will be able to look into the positivity you can bring into the job.
Talk at length about your experience, your skills, and your personality with respect to the role. The employer research is the key here, and you cannot just talk about YOU. Talk about your enthusiasm to learn new things and experiment with new ideas. Pick the responsibilities from the job description and explain how you have achieved them in the past.
A right answer would be, ” I have worked with these responsibilities in this particular company. I was involved in these activities for three years and have received rewards and accolades for the tasks I completed. I thought a company like this one would give me more opportunity to grow my expertise in these fields and help the company grow.”
Example 2 – Appearing for the Interview for a Business Analyst Post
The core responsibility of a business analyst would be to look after the day to day functions of the company and suggest ways to improve if you suspect something is not working as expected.
Having said that, not all organizations view a Business Analyst post from a common angle. That would exactly be what makes it a little difficult to answer that question. The key, once again, is to learn more about the company you have applied to. Most of the questions asked at the interview for business analysts would be about the behavioral analysis, and you need to be prepared from that perspective.
The main aim of a BA is to analyze the problems and even forecasting them and providing solutions. The essential skills you would need are verbal and written communication skills, leadership capabilities, and understanding of the system engineering concepts. Talk about your experience in these areas. If you have achieved anything in these areas with your previous job, make sure you showcase them.
Example 3 – If you Appear for a Position in Financial Organization
These would ideally need a bold answer. In fact, the same question that needs a well-researched answer in the above examples will need to be bold and honest. If you offer those learned and researched answers, you may be rejected.
These positions demand a high level of security, and errors in these fields usually are not appreciated. The financial companies would prefer the candidates who can provide honest answers with respect to their strengths and weaknesses.
That would make us steer clear of suggesting a specific answer to the question. Make sure you are honest to the core. Explain clearly what you have achieved in your previous job – including your weaknesses. Of course, including a few of the company’s objectives and goals in your answer would be welcome, but never go overboard.
Example 4 – Ability to Work under Pressure
This can be one of the best answers for the question when you are applying for a challenging job, such as a chartered accountant or any similar financial responsibility. Make sure that the job description does have some sort of reference to this aspect in the role and your career aspirations.
“ I have observed this job requires working under pressure, and that is exactly what kicks me in. I have been involved in working under severe pressure during my university days and have been organizing events and meetings. I can easily prioritize the tasks at hand and organize them properly.”
Example 5 – Your Ability to Work as Part of a Team
This can be an excellent answer for positions such as supervisors and team leaders. This can be used as an extension to the questions like whether you are comfortable working individually or as a team, generally asked at the organizations such as Chipotle.
You can stress on your ability to work as a team player and focus on communication skills – both verbal and written. The response would be an excellent option for answering the interview for the areas such as the automotive or cabin crew sector.
“You have specifically mentioned that you need a team player for this position. My performance thrives when I work in a team environment. I work well with my communication skills, and that has been one of the strengths that I enjoy. I make sure that no one is missed out or felt isolated.”
Example 6 – Your Passion for a Particular Position or Field
This can be a perfect answer for almost every filed or position you have applied for. However, this will require thorough research into the company you have applied for. The answer will also speak of your commitment towards your chosen field or position and your willingness to go the extra mile to achieve company goals.
“I have always been passionate about the XX industry. I have introduced the concept of XX when I was working with Y company. I always read A, B, and C to keep me abreast of every development in the XX industry. I have also completed a few courses in a particular genre.”
When you talk about passion, make sure that you are talking about the actual passion you share about the particular field of interest. Bragging about it may not bring the best results. You should always be prepared to share your accomplishments and knowledge in the concerned area so that you can back your claims.
Whether you are an experienced applicant or a fresh graduate, the tips here should help you get the best possible idea in how to answer those questions.
Example 7 – Showcase Your Skills
That would be the simplest way to answer that question. If you have already worked in a similar position or industry, you can showcase your achievements and skills. Do note that your answers can trigger further questions in the subject you have claimed expertise in.
Some of the skills you can mention would include:
- Communications skills
- Flexibility in terms of work schedule and responsibilities.
- Organizational abilities
- Problem-solving capacity
- Teamwork
Few Tips that Can be Helpful
The examples featured here apart, you can even check out a few other tips that can help you answer this question and come out as a winner.
Here are a few tips for answering that tricky question more efficiently-
- Talk about your personal qualities without bragging about them. Some examples can be your willingness to learn new things and interpersonal skills.
- Explain some of your skills and how you can implement them for the betterment of the company
- Talk about the company’s values. Do you share them? Show evidence to prove that believe in those ideologies
- You can also talk about the social responsibility initiatives of the company and how you can chip in in those activities.
Closing Thoughts on Skills and Experience for Job
The interview question –“what skills and experience you can bring to this role?” can indeed be quite tricky and a make or break situation for most of the interviewees. The best way to answer that question is to showcase your confidence in the job you have applied for. The interviewer is trying to check out the confidence levels of the applicant with that question. If you can answer it with the right dose of confidence, you can be assured of getting that job right away.
Make sure you are not overconfident, and there should not be any issues in answering that question easily.
