How To Answer “What Is Your Greatest Strength?”

When participating in a job interview, there’s a good chance you’ll come across many of the same common interview questions. With so much practice, it’s easy for job seekers to answer the standard questions like “What is your greatest strength?”

“Instead of thinking up interesting, thought-provoking questions, they resort to prosaic questions, like “What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?” The good news for job hunters is that these questions are relatively easy to answer.” –Jack Kelly, Forbes

Companies want to learn the type of value you’ll bring to the organization, so it makes sense they’d want to know your best qualities. Don’t just point out generic traits like timeliness or irrelevant ones like how high you can jump. Break through to the heart of the question and dive at your greatest, most relevant strengths by considering these points.

Be prepared

You don’t want to be on the spot listing things you think you might be good at aimlessly. Because this is such a frequently asked question, you’ll want to take the time to actually know your strengths and practice answering the question.

Job Hunt’s Susan P. Joyce says to start by asking yourself the question along with asking people you trust the same question. Self-scouting is always a great way to come up with a list of prepared answers, but asking others is a great way to find things you may have missed.

Once you have a list of your best strengths in mind, you can practice your answer using the following points to build confident and impressive answers. Consider doing a mock interview or working with a mentor to practice.

“Outline your speaking points in advance and practice them until you’re comfortable with your response. Having an idea of what you’re going to say before your interview will help your answer sound polished and natural.” -Jamie Birt, Indeed

Focus on the job description

Not every strength will be the absolute best option for every job opportunity. Even when you’re looking for a specific title, different companies will have different needs, and you might need to pull the right tool from your utility belt.

Make sure to do a deep review of the job description. You’ll get a good idea of what the company really needs right away, according to Joel Schwartzberg. With their biggest needs being directly identified, you can tailor your answer easily. Just like we’ve said to utilize keywords in your resume, be sure to circle back to these keywords when answering the question.

“There’s no need to guess what superstar qualities they’re looking for — it’s all there in black and white. Look for the attributes listed under the “preferred qualifications” or “required skills” section of the job description.” –Joel Schwartzberg

Think in terms of skills

You’re probably good at a lot of things, but not all of them are what a company is looking for when they ask this question. Simply always being on time or knowing how to talk to people isn’t quite enough. Using the job description as a starting point, think of what specific skills are needed in this role, and how can you use them.

Soft skills are important in every role, so think of your strengths in terms of tangible skills. The Muse’s Lily Zhang says to really consider what skills you’ll need to excel in this role and to frame your strengths in this way. If you’ll be interacting with clients or customers, discussing your communication skills is wise, while if you’re going to be in a fast-paced environment, you might discuss your ability to multitask and prioritize.

Being able to frame your strengths in a specific and tangible manner will be more effective than simply saying what you think you’re good at.

Use examples

Of course, you can’t just expect hiring managers to take your word at face value. I could say “I am the finest writer in all of human history,” but no one would believe it without proof. That’s why you want to support your strengths by showing your potential employer how you’ve used them in the past.

Forbes’ Jack Kelly says to once again find the best use for your skills at that organization and show how you’ve utilized them in the past. If you’re a creative type, you might show off a portfolio. You can show how you exceeded monthly sales quotas. If you’ve saved the company money, you can show your interviewer how you did so.

“As mentioned, you have to be focused and specific while answering the question. You should play with facts and figures while answering this question. If you do so, the answer will appear more genuine and hence more impressive.” –Rakesh Ghumatkar, LinkedIn

The more specific you can be, the easier it is for the interviewer to see you’ve put your strengths into action in the past and can use them to add value to the organization.

Wrap up

By doing some preparations before the interview, you can be ready to tackle this common interview question. Have a good understanding of your skills, know how to relate them to the job at hand, use specific examples, and express confidence and you’ll successfully convey that your strengths will bring value to the organization.

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Reasons Why Might Not Be Getting Hired After An Interview

Sometimes, even if you have the right experience and qualifications for a job, you still might not get offers despite landing the interview. Matching the job requirements can take you far, but they aren’t the only aspect of landing the job.

Assuming you’ve made appropriate changes to your resume, application materials, and social media profiles, it might be your interpersonal and interviewing skills preventing you from getting the offer. Do some self-scouting and consider if these reasons apply to you.

Your interview skills need work

Your resume gives employers a taste of what you’ve done and what you can do, but it’s up to you to reinforce that during your interview. You can have all of the qualifications in the world but won’t get the job if you aren’t persuasive. And don’t forget that your personality is just as important as your skills. Hiring managers are looking for good team fits that they’d enjoy working with.

We’ve previously covered some ways to stand out during your interview, but don’t skim on the basics, either! Keyede Erinfolami reminds us to practice active listening, intentional body language, storytelling, small talk, and researching the company beforehand. The more preparation you do, the more confident and interested you’ll appear.

You’re desperate

Not every job you apply for will be your dream job. You’ll occasionally need to accept a job to build the skills to advance your career or to simply pay the bills, and the job market isn’t kind. But even if you really need the job, you don’t want to appear desperate. Just like in dating, desperation is a major turn-off for hiring managers.

“If you make it seem like hiring you is a big favor, the interviewer is likely to pass over you for someone who frames it as something that would benefit them and the company.” -Sara McCord

You might really need the job or you’re thrilled about the company, but try to downplay it a bit. Zippia’s Maddie Lloyd suggests talking about what you like about the company and including the ways you think you can help them. Your job during the interview is to show that you can provide value to the organization rather than just being a fan.

You don’t seem passionate

While it’s good to not appear desperate, don’t go so far in the other direction that you appear disinterested in the role. Looking detached won’t impress anyone, and the manager will look for someone that does appear interested.

“Employers can sense if excitement for a position isn’t quite there. Skills can be taught, but employers desire to see passion and enthusiasm when considering applicants.” –Indeed

Small things like showing up late, not making eye contact, and giving quick answers to questions may make you seem disinterested even if you are.

Ashley Stahl says to avoid getting to that point by finding things to be excited about when you’re researching the company. See if their mission statement meshes with your goals, find a project you’d be interested in, and come up with some enthusiastic questions. This will help pump you up for the interview as well as provide excellent talking points.

You’re boring

Unfortunately, even if you abide by the aforementioned tenets, you still might get passed over. You may feel okay about your interview and think your skills might make up for any interview gaps, but the truth is that if a hiring manager finds you to be boring, you likely won’t get the job.

The modern job search involves a ton of candidates, and if you aren’t standing out, you may be forgotten. The Muse’s Jeremy Schifeling says the ideal candidate is someone capable of doing the job and being someone people want to be around—“warm and competent.”

Try practicing your conversational skills with a friend and make an attempt to be genuine. If you can find a way to connect with the interviewer in an earnest way, you’ll stand out in their memory. Little connections can go a long way.

Wrap up

The skills to thrive in an interview aren’t necessarily the ones you need to do your dream job well, but you need to master these soft skills to get that job! Consider how you approach your interviews, take additional steps to practice, and adopt the right attitude and you’ll find better offers coming your way.

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How To Utilize AI Tools In Your Job Search

AI technology is no longer just a science fiction staple. With tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, anyone can experiment with artificial intelligence.

This technology is still being refined and can’t replace the creativity or contextual mind of a human, but it can be a great device to enhance all sorts of efforts—including aiding in your job search! From helping to build your resume and cover letter, to optimizing your LinkedIn profile, to interview prep, to simply being a wonderful research assistant, learn how to utilize AI technology to give your job search a boost.

Treat prompts like a conversation

ChatGPT works by typing in a prompt and it will answer as best as it can based on the set perimeters. But the bot isn’t all-powerful or all-knowing. To get the result you want, you’ll need to treat the chat box like a conversation and refine ideas or comes up with follow-up questions.

“As we often need to do when talking with a human, you may have to ask follow-up questions to get a more precise answer. Consider your prompt as the beginning of your conversation. (This is different logic than you use when searching Google.)” –Hannah Morgan

Career Sherpa’s Hannah Morgan writes to keep your prompts specific and descriptive. Set the perimeters you’d like covered, and don’t be afraid to start over as needed. The more information you provide, the better the bot can do its job!

Use it to spice up writing

Once you’ve gotten the hang of working with the AI, one of the best ways to use it is to spice up your writing. This wide-ranging feature can help you writes resume bullets, cover letters, LinkedIn bios, and more!

“If you are already a great writer, AI can make you an even better writer,” –Oliver Yarbrough

The tool can help fill out content for your resume, saving a great deal of time, or it can find the best way to phrase something, writes Klara Cervenanska. Specific resume-building AIs are becoming more common. Resumes and cover letters can take a lot of time, especially if you’re tailoring them for each position. Just remember that you’ll still need to proofread and make it your own. It’s often easy to tell if something was written by an AI, as it can’t compete with a human’s contextual ability and you want your unique voice to take the stage.

Use it as an assistant

AI can also be used as a reliable research assistant if you know how to ask the right questions.

Hannah Morgan says that you can use ChatGPT to find alternate job titles, find similar jobs in your industry, and create a list of target companies. The tool can also create thoughtful interview questions for you to ask or provide examples of questions you may be asked. Jaime Dubois highlights numerous programs that can help with interview preparation, which you can find here.

Resume writer Ruth Sternberg highlights AI’s abilities to translate your resume into another language, find industry-specific keywords, and flag suspicious claims for further research as a few highlights. While you still need to be cautious blindly trusting what the bot finds, it can be a great fact-checker if prompted correctly.

Create a job search plan

If you want to take AI’s role as a virtual assistant even further, you can use it to help you create a sustainable job search plan!

iHire suggests that ChatGPT can be used to create a job search schedule specific to your needs as well as provide insight into your industry’s trends.

“Type something like “create a personalized job search plan for a java developer tailored to their skills, experience, and goals” into ChatGPT, and it will give you an outline of lists that may be helpful during your search.” –iHire

Remember that it doesn’t replace your work

AI can be a wonderful tool to enhance your job search, but remember that the goal is to enhance the journey—not replace it!

These tools are still fairly new and always learning. The results you get may not always be exactly what you need, and there are plenty of programs that can tell if something was written by AI. The AI doesn’t possess the nuance or contextual information to replace human effort.

Teal’s Lia Zneimer writes that while ChatGPT tries to decline harmful results, occasionally they might provide harmful instructions or factually incorrect answers. Always fact-check when using these programs.

Wrap up

This just barely scratches the surface of how to use AI technology and what you can use it for. Learning the basics will help you pivot toward more specialized uses in the future. Whatever your needs are, remember that the AI can’t do everything for you. You need to learn to guide it yourself and enhance the results with your own human experience!

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Finding Online Support For Your Job Search

A job search is a full-time job in its own right, and it’s easy to get bogged down. The sheer amount of resources available to aid your search are both extremely helpful and overwhelming. Thankfully, technology makes it easy to find friends and allies to assist.

Networking is a job seeker’s best friend and comes in many forms. Not every contact can get you a job, but there are thousands of people that can offer insight, new strategies and information, an extra set of eyes, or simply encouragement. If you’re looking for some extra support in your search, we cover how to find the right resource or group for you.

Know what you’re looking for

Just as it’s important to narrow down your job search to specific roles and industries, it’s important to have a clear picture of what type of support you need. Are you looking for an in-depth look at your resume or just need a friendly look over it? Do you have questions targeted toward a specific industry or are you looking for general advice? The clearer your needs are, the easier it will be to find the right resource.

It’s worth taking the time to email a group or community beforehand to get a better idea of what they can help with, writes Briefcase Coach’s Sarah Johnston. Some groups are all-purpose while many are geared toward a particular niche. A little research can help you find the right group for you.

Utilize community resources

Even if you plan to do most of your searching online, there still may be resources in your local area that can assist your search. Look into the resources you have available near you and start there.

Indeed suggests community centers and libraries are vital local organizations. The exact resources available will depend on your area, but you may be able to find local job boards, career services, or coaching available. Libraries are particularly valuable because they often have career coaching as well as reliable access to computers with internet access.

FlexJobs’ Rachel Pelta also suggests utilizing an alumni association. These groups will help any graduate no matter how long ago they graduated. Not only will they have resources to help you, but they can point you to other organizations or support groups.

“Alumni organizations help people stay connected with others they met at high school or college. Similarly, this is an excellent channel for job opportunities and networking.” –Indeed

Try something new

Once you’ve looked into local and familiar options, don’t be afraid to branch out and try something new! Part of networking is growing your network, and you’ll have to leave your comfort zone to do so.

Rachel Pelta mentions state job banks and job fairs as potential avenues worth exploring. A job bank is more than an online job board and can offer ways to learn or advance your skills or find resources specific to your needs. Meanwhile, job fairs have always been a valuable way to make connections, but now can be done virtually. A virtual fair means you can cut some of the stress associated with going to a big event and focus on the job opportunities and networking opportunities.

Join a group

If you want something more ongoing than the above options, consider joining a job search group online. Just as having good coworkers can make work better, having allies in your job search can make the process more positive.

Both in-person and online job search groups are available, with many more virtual groups forming after the pandemic. Career coach Bob McIntosh said that the switch to virtual job groups has vastly increased attendance thanks to ease of access and allows job seekers to share their screens with one another.

Make sure you can find the right group for your needs. McIntosh says there is a difference between networking groups and job search groups. Sarah Johnston says to make sure your group is well-organized and goal-focused.

You can find many of these groups on LinkedIn. FlexJobs’ Jennifer Parris compiled an excellent list of some of the best job search groups on LinkedIn, which you can find here.

Wrap up

Whether you need a few questions answered or you’re looking to develop new relationships, there are plenty of online resources available to help your job search. Joining a job search group can be particularly rewarding, and you might make lifelong friends along the way. Whatever your needs are, there is support out there, and you don’t need to tackle your job search alone!

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Self-Care Tips To Ease Your Job Search Blues

Let’s face it—searching for a new job is stressful at the best of times, and the longer your search goes on, the harder of a toll it can take on your mental health. To avoid the burnout associated with doing too much, it’s important to incorporate self-care strategies into your routine.

When things seem tough, it’s important to take a step back and prioritize your mental health. We’ve looked at what career experts believe to be some of the most efficient and reassuring self-care tips so that you can take care of yourself and come out on top in your career journey!

Pay attention to your needs

At its most basic level, all self-care needs to start with looking after your physical well-being. It’s hard to grow and succeed if you’re neglecting your needs in favor of accomplishing your job-seeking goals.

“There has been a lot of research proving that physical exercise provides countless mental health benefits, including alleviating anxiety, minimizing stress, and increasing brain function.” –Ashley Wilson

At the very least, you need to make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating right, and getting in some exercise. It’s extremely easy to forget, or at least prioritize, your psychical well-being when you feel the pressure to find a job, especially when you really need the money. But eventually, you’ll begin to feel the neglect catch up with you.

Balance your time

When it comes to job search specific self-care, learning how to balance your time effectively is crucial. Finding a job is important, but you can’t let the search control your every waking minute.

The best way to start is to plan out your day and create a daily schedule, writes Lindsay E. Mack. Use a calendar scheduling app to plan out your day, making sure to include necessary breaks. Adding in time limits on certain tasks will keep you from becoming overwhelmed.

Not only with this help your mental health, but having a balanced approach will make sure you’re covering all of your job search bases and not leaving any avenues behind. Check out this example calendar from career coach Hannah Morgan as a place to get started.

Be social

When applying for jobs, don’t make the mistake of isolating yourself. Spending time with others in both a professional and friendly capacity can make the search easier to bare.

The Washington Post’s Danielle Paquette says that there are actual support groups for job seekers, providing a place for others going through the same things to connect. With the prevalence of LinkedIn and the availability of university alumni groups, these types of groups are even easier to find than ever.

“[M]eeting people has so many benefits to your mental health and to your job search! Engaging with others helps you keep a healthy balance during your job search, plus you never know who may have a hot job lead for you.” –Mac Prichard

Hannah Morgan writes that having an “accountability buddy” can help. Not only will this person make sure you’re working toward your milestones, but they can provide a fresh perspective to help you see things clearly.

Learn something new

If you want to take a break from what you’ve been doing but still want to focus on something career-related, there’s always the option of learning a new skill. We’ve evolved into a skills-based hiring cycle, and learning a new skill can be very rewarding.

Forbes’ Christine Y. Cruzvergara mentions the plethora of free or affordable online courses available for job seekers. Not only can you earn something that can go on a resume, but you might meet new friends or someone that can help your search!

Step away

Sometimes the most important thing you can do is take a step away from your search and do something fun. It may seem counter-intuitive, but having some fun is not only good for your mental well-being but a good way to reward yourself for your accomplishments.

Mac Prichard suggests getting out of the house and trying something new if possible. This can reinvigorate your life and help you keep things in perspective.

Career coach Emily Liou says that a sense of detachment in the job search is a good thing. Learning how to not take the search personally, handle the rejection well, and accept that something will come along is a healthy mindset. Knowing when to step back is part of embracing this mindset.

“As a jobseeker, the best state you can come from in your search is from a state of detachment: reminding yourself that a rejection isn’t personal, and you will find a great job or something even better down the line.” –Emily Liou

Wrap up

Some of the above tips may seem obvious, but knowing and doing aren’t the same. Are you making yourself a priority during your search? Sometimes the first step is simply recognizing you need a change or a break in routine so that you can get to where you need to be mentally. By embracing the above stratagems, you’ll be putting yourself in a good position to reduce burnout and find the career you deserve.

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