How To Communicate Your Strengths in a Job Interview

You know this is the job for you. Here’s how to convince the person doing the hiring.

你知道这是你想要得工作。在这里你会找到让你的雇主坚定雇佣你的决心的方法。

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  Step 1: List your strengths

• 第一步：列出你的强项

   

  Determine what your strengths are. Include specific skills, like “proficient in HTML,” as well as general qualities, whether it’s being “a big-picture person” or having “great attention to detail.”

• 首先要确定你有哪些强项。包括特殊技能，如：“熟练网页制作，”另外还有一些通常的特质，无论是具有全局观念还是关注细节都可以是你的强项。

   

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  Step 2: Relate to the job
  第二步：与你要申请的工作相关

   

  Now correlate each skill to the current opening. Think hard about how all of your abilities can be put to use at the position you want.

• 然后把你的强项与将要申请的工作关联。努力思考你的能力如何在你想要申请的工作中使用。

   

• Tip 小窍门

  Ask friends and coworkers what they see as your strengths—their answers might help you see yourself in a new light.

• 问问你的朋友和同事，他们认为你有哪些长处——他们回答会帮助你从一个新的角度看自己。

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  Step 3: Prepare for questions

• 第三步：准备便是问题

   

  Prepare for difficult questions. If you quit your last job to follow a band on tour, be ready to put a positive spin on it—maybe you were considering writing a book about the experience rather than just goofing off?

• 准备那些困难的问题。如果你为了跟随乐队的巡演而辞掉上一份工作，也要用积极的方式来表达——可能你是考虑把这个经历写一本书而不仅仅为了打发时间。

   

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  Step 4: Use a thesaurus

• 第四步：使用词典

   

  Get out the thesaurus and look for words to describe your attributes that aren’t as clichéd as “hard-working,” “dedicated,” and “team player.” Or else you might as well say, “I work hard, yadda yadda.”

• 取出词典并找一些词来描述你的特质，而不是用“努力工作”“有奉献精神”“团队协作者”等这些老掉牙的词，或者你只是说“我工作很努力，等等“

   

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  Step 5: Think up examples　

• 第五步：想出一些例子

   

  Come up with concrete examples of your attributes. For example, if you plan to say, “I’m a good manager,” be ready to follow it up with proof of how you spurred people into action.

• 举出一些例子来支持你的特质。例如，如果你计划说，“我是一个好经理，”你就需要准备一个例子来说明你如何让人们听从你的指挥。

   

• Tip 小窍门

  During the interview, be confident but not cocky. Overconfidence is just as unappealing as its opposite.

• 在面试中，要自信而不要自大。过度自信往往会起到相反的效果。

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  Step 6: Turn negatives positive

• 第六部：将负面的事情正面的说

   

  Turn negatives into positives. If you’re asked why you only stayed at your last job for six months, say it was a bad fit and you didn’t want to remain where you felt you couldn’t do your best.

• 将负面的事情正面的说。如果你被问到，“为什么上一份工作只干了半年时，不要说上一份工作不适合你而要说你不想做下去是因为那份工作不能发挥你的长处。

   

• Tip　小窍门

  Don’t badmouth your former employer, no matter how tempting. You’ll look unprofessional and give the interviewer reason to suspect you’re difficult to work with.

• 不要说以前雇主的坏话，无论你多么想说。如果那样的话，你会看起来很不转专业，并让面试你的人感到你很不好想出。

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  Step 7: Own your weaknesses

• 第七步：坦诚你的缺点

   

  If, despite all your preparation, a weakness is revealed during the interview, don’t panic. Owning your weaknesses can be a strength. Acknowledge them and say how you plan to overcome them.

• 尽管做了精心的准备，但是面试时难免会暴露出你的弱点，不要惊慌。承认你的弱点并给出克服弱点的计划，往往会反败为胜。

• Fact 事实

  “So, why don’t you tell me about yourself?” is the most frequently asked job interview question.

• “那么，给我们说说你自己？”是在面试中最长被问到的问题。