The Leadership Insider network is an online community where the most thoughtful and influential people in business contribute answers to timely questions about careers and leadership. Today’s answer to the question “What are three tips for nailing a job interview?” is written by Andres Traslavina, senior global recruiter at Whole Foods Market.
The following three tips will help you demonstrate determination, showcase what makes you unique, and ultimately, put you in the best position to receive an offer:
Use social media
Everything you do on social media can (and will) be found by recruiters — and this can be good thing! You can back up the experiences on your resume by pointing to specific examples of work stored on your social channels. In fact, you should devote time every day to developing a “voice” on social media and following companies and individuals in your industry. Use tools like Simplewash to improve the content on your social channels and always be mindful of what you post. During the interview, point to a project you have uploaded to LinkedIn, a video on YouTube, or a series of tweets demonstrating your knowledge of the company. When you can show authentic social interactions to back your resume, you will definitely be one step ahead of the competition.
Play to your strengths
You may be good at many things, but your typically only great at a few. So, if you’re in sales, be the best sales person. If you’re a software developer, be the best developer. Know what your strengths are and use them to outshine other candidates. Companies want to hire top performers who are internally motivated and excited about the opportunity to be challenged. Demonstrate why you want to learn more about something you’re already passionate about.
Close the deal
Don’t let the hiring manager make any inaccurate assumptions; it’s your job to eliminate any lingering doubts. One of the best questions to ask near the end of the interview is, “After reviewing my resume and discussing the job qualifications, are there any gaps that would prevent you from selecting me as the ideal candidate?” This question will help you leave the interview with a clear understanding of how you were perceived, and most importantly, it will give you the opportunity to clarify and expand on anything that might help change the outcome of their final decision.
Read all answers to the Leadership Insider question: What are three tips for nailing a job interview?
3 key questions to ask yourself before a job interview by Charles Galda, CIO of technology centers and services at GE Capital.
Hiring 101: How to ace a job interview by Mike Del Ponte, co-founder of Soma.
College graduates: How to land your first job by David DeWolf, president and CEO of 3Pillar Global.
Why you should treat a job interview like a first date by Ryan Harwood, CEO of PureWow.
Why an impressive resume won’t get you hired by Sunil Rajaraman, co-founder of Scripted.com.
Birchbox co-CEO: How to nail a job interview by Katia Beauchamp, co-founder and co-CEO of Birchbox.
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