By Siobhan O’Malley, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers
BALLINROBE – Siobhan O’Malley
It’s more ‘I’ than ‘we’: this is a point I find myself making to interview training clients on a regular basis.
“We put a very good system in place,” they say.
Or “we achieved record sales”.
In job interviews, it’s important to keep the ‘I’ in there. Front and centre. By all means, give credit to colleagues, and don’t over-state your own role.
But, and this is an important but, you are the one going for the job interview. Not your previous or current colleagues. You’re the one who has to prove your suitability for the role.
So, where possible, use the ‘I’.
The ‘I’ proves.
“I put a good process in place that led to 40 per cent cost savings for the company,” you should say.
You can – and probably should – note the contributions of your colleagues, but not as the main event.
Thankfully, clients pick up on this quickly and fall into the ‘I’ mode. Most people can inject a lot more ‘I’ into their answers without coming across conceited or arrogant.
If you would like to make a booking with any of our career coaches, see HERE for CV Preparation, Application Form writing, LinkedIn Profile writing, Interview Training and other career services.
Siobhan O’Malley is a Career Coach with Sli Nua Careers, who have offices in Galway, Dublin, Limerick, Athlone, Sligo and Mayo, plus a full online service. Their services include CV preparation, interview training, personal statements and application forms.
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