How to describe yourself in a job interview

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From THEJOBNETWORD, the Courier-Post (on Nov. 12, 2017) and writer Peter Jones come these “tips.”

BY PETER JONES

THEJOBNETWORK

You know you’re going to be asked about yourself in a job interview, so don’t get caught tongue-tied.

It’s smart to have a small collection of adjectives that describe you well and show you off in your best light — bonus points if they aren’t the same old tired words everybody else is using.

Often the best strategy here is to think of action verbs, then modify them into adjective form. Think about how you would sincerely describe yourself, both personally and at the office, then put together a list and memorize it for ultimate interview success.

Here are eight powerful examples interviewers are sure

to love:

  1. Communicative

Communication is one of the skills most highly valued by employers, so this is a shrewd word to use. It suggests that you’re a people person, you are effective at disseminating information, you care about connecting with your clients and coworkers and you are intelligent enough to do so clearly and professionally.

Plus, you can segue this into concrete examples of how you used your communication skills to problem solve.

  1. Reliable“Consistent” or “accountable” are also good ones. You’re in it for the team — you don’t just show up for you. You realize that your work is part of an ecosystem of other people’s projects and you don’t let anybody down. You’re not late for work or meetings. You can be relied upon to do your job, do it well and deliver whatever needs to be done.

      3. Driven

If you’d rather, “ambitious” works here, as well — any adjective that shows you are not just showing up for the paycheck and free coffee is great. These words prove that you are in it to win it — both to advance yourself in your career and, in the meantime, to advance the company and its most important goals. Subtext: no one is going to need to hound or micromanage you to keep you motivated. You’re “self-motivating.”

  1. Meticulous

This word hints at your attention to detail, your precision, your organizational skills, your ability to prioritize and the fact that you hate letting anything slip through any cracks.

If you’re meticulous, you’re thorough and self-managing and trustworthy. See how much work this kind of word can do?

  1. Impactful

Go ahead and say what a difference you made at your last gig. Go ahead and gloat.

You come on the job and get things done. You can totally brag here at this point, and throw in a mention of any accomplishments or awards you may have earned along the way. This word shows you don’t just make promises, you get results.

  1. Persistent

You don’t quit until the job is done (and done well). What’s more, you’ll get the project done on time. You’ll put in the extra work until the solution is found. This conveys that you’re “results-oriented,” as well.

  1. Flexible

You’re not rigid. You think outside the box. You’re able to adapt to challenging circumstances and find the workaround that no one else can see. You adapt on the go and keep adapting. You’re the kind of employee everybody wants because you’re willing to do things outside the purview of your job description — provided it makes sense for the company and for the goals of your team.

  1. Team player

It’s always good to round off a list of descriptors of yourself with something that conveys a bit of humility — your willingness to sacrifice your own time and ambitions now and then for the good of the group.

“Team player” transitions easily enough to a description of how you’re also a “leader” … for those of you who want to score that last bonus point.

Peter Jones is a career advice journalist for TheJobNetwork.com, where this article was originally published. He investigates and writes about current strategies, tips and trending topics related to all stages of one’s career.

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]