{"id":2649,"date":"2023-02-23T16:18:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-23T16:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejobstudio.co.uk\/?p=2649"},"modified":"2023-11-09T20:08:03","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T20:08:03","slug":"how-to-talk-about-your-skills-in-an-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thejobstudio.co.uk\/interview-advice\/how-to-talk-about-your-skills-in-an-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"How to talk about your skills in an interview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When it comes to interviews, there\u2019s one thing an employer always wants to know - that you\u2019ve got the skills they\u2019re looking for. But what can you do if you struggle talking about your skills in an interview or worry about coming across as too boastful? In this post I'll share 5 steps to help you talk confidently about your skills in an interview, so you can impress your interviewers and get that job offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Know what skills you have to offer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before you start thinking how to talk about your skills in an interview, be clear what<\/em> skills you\u2019ve got to offer. A great way to do this is by completing a skills audit<\/a><\/strong>. This is a questionnaire that you fill in by reflecting on your past experience. It can be a really helpful tool for mapping your skills, and identifying those you need to work on. It should also give you a confidence boost ahead of an interview as you'll soon realise just how many skills you've got to offer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Find out what skills the employer wants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It's no good talking about skills in an interview unless they're relevant for the role you're applying for. The employer should have listed the skills they are looking for in the job advert or person specification (this is often found in the job description). If you can't find this, you'll have to use your judgement by thinking about the main tasks required in the role. For example, if you're applying for a desk-based job, chances are you'll be needing organisation and IT skills. A good site to help with this is Prospects<\/strong><\/a> which has over job profiles which list the required skills for over 400 roles.<\/p>\n\n\n

Your essential interview preparation pack<\/h3>
This printable pack includes everything you need to nail your interview - an answer planning workbook, interview questions, a competency matching grid and more!\n<\/div>Buy now<\/a><\/div>\"\"<\/div>\n\n\n

Step 3: Prepare examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The biggest mistake people make when talking about their skills in an interview is not giving examples. Examples are just situations from your past experience that evidence each skill in action. Having examples will back up your claims and act as evidence, giving the employer reassurance that you really do have the skills they need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how do you decide which examples to use when talking about your skills in an interview? It's actually pretty simple. Reflect on your past experience and think of situations when you've used each skill. Ideally, these examples will be recent (in the last 2-3 years) and if they're from relevant roles\/environments, even better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You'll need to use a structure to present these experiences which is where the STAR technique<\/strong><\/a> comes in. Using STAR will make it easy for an employer to see you have the skills they need, and that you're the right candidate for the job. You don't want to rehearse your answers word for word, but should know the key points you want to get across before attending the interview. Use a Job Interview Mind Map<\/a><\/strong> to help plan your examples and key points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 4: Listen to the question<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now you've got your examples at the ready, let's turn our attention to the actual interview. One of the most common types of interview questions focuses on skills. These are called competency or behaviour-based questions and often start with 'Tell me about a time when...<\/em>' or 'Give an example where...<\/em>' These invite you to give a specific example to evidence a particular skill. These will help you decide which skills in an interview to cover. Here are a few examples with the skill each is testing in brackets:<\/p>\n\n\n\n