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Let’s face it: most of us don’t like talking about ourselves, much less bragging about our skills, qualifications, or accomplishments. But the truth is, that’s exactly what a job interview is for. If you have a job interview coming up, you’ll want to be ready to talk about your skills and qualifications in a compelling way.

Here are a few tips on talking about your skills in your next interview:

Be specific.

As much as you can, be specific about the skills you have and talk about real-world scenarios in which you’ve used them. Rather than saying you’re familiar with a computer system or database, for example, talk about specific ways you used the knowledge of that system in your previous jobs to benefit the team or your employer. Instead of simply saying you are a good communicator, tell the hiring manager about a specific time you used good communication to produce a positive result.

Put it in numbers if you can.

In addition to being specific, try to be quantitative when you can. This means putting it in numbers – instead of saying you helped the team become more efficient, tell the hiring manager how you helped reduce overhead costs by 10% last quarter. Being able to point to quantifiable results you’ve achieved is a powerful way to make an impression on the hiring manager.

Talk about what you’d like to get better at.

It’s also perfectly acceptable in interviews to talk about skills you would like to improve upon, but be sure to frame it in the right way. Say something like, “I feel that I’m already familiar with [skill or qualification], but I think I could really deepen my understanding with your company and help to teach or mentor less experienced team members, too.”

Don’t forget about transferrable skills.

Even if you don’t have direct experience in certain skill sets that the job you’re interviewing for requires, you probably have some transferrable skills. These are skills related to the job you’ll be doing if you’re hired, even if they’re not exactly the same. Transferrable skills can be “hard” skills – perhaps you’ve used a customer relationship management (CRM) system in the past, and it gave you knowledge of working in large databases – or “soft” skills, like communication, problem-solving ability, and teamwork.

Put Your Skills to the Test

Ready to impress a hiring manager in your next interview? Let us help. Contact the team here at Talent Corps to find your next opportunity.

Video interviews are more popular than ever, but phone interviews still happen quite frequently, too. Often, a phone interview comes first, followed by video interviews and then in-person interviews. So, how can you sell yourself in the right way during your next phone interview? Here are four tips: 

#1: Craft an elevator pitch. 

There’s a good chance the first thing the hiring manager will say to you is, “Tell me a little bit about yourself.” This is the perfect opportunity to give your elevator pitch. Come up with a 30- to 60-second blurb about yourself, what you do, your experience, and what sets you apart from other candidates. You can include some personal information as well if the hiring manager asks for it. The goal of the elevator pitch is to clearly and concisely get across who you are, what you stand for, and why you should be the company’s next hire.  

#2: Quantify your achievements. 

Rather than saying, “I helped improve patient outcomes as a part of my team,” say “My contributions to the team helped boost positive patient outcomes by 25% over the last fiscal year.” Quantifying your accomplishments in this way is a proven method for making an impact on hiring managers. They want to be able to visualize what kinds of differences you’ll make if you’re hired on—putting it in numbers and figures is the best way to do that.  

#3: Ask good questions. 

Almost all interviews, including phone interviews, wrap up with the hiring manager asking if you have any questions. Saying “no” is never a good idea. It makes you seem disinterested and lackadaisical about the position. Ahead of the interview, come up with a few targeted, unique questions about the job and the company at large. You’ll learn more about the role and make a good impression at the same time. 

#4: Be friendly. 

It might sound obvious, but being friendly and approachable over the phone is always recommended. Pay close attention to your tone of voice, your inflection, and your body language. Even though you’re not visible, the person on the other end of the line can tell a lot about your attitude simply through your voice. You don’t want to turn the hiring manager off by sounding guarded or defensive. A friendly tone of voice, on the other hand, will always make a good impression. 

Line Up Your Next Interview 

If you’re ready to advance your career in healthcare, talk to one of Medical Talent’s experienced medical recruiters. Contact us today to get started on your job search.