How Did You Prepare For This Work?

It is the hiring manager’s goal to choose the very best candidate for every position he or she has to fill. When he asks a question such as this, his ultimate purpose is to determine whether or not you understand what the position entails.

Your response will help to ensure him that you have the highest level of education necessary and a firm understanding of what you will be doing.

Your interviewer wants to find a candidate who can perform the job to the very highest level possible. Such performance depends on well-informed technique and education that illuminates the field.

Points to Emphasize

Your response will help to demonstrate your understanding of the job you will be doing.

Highlight your skills and talents to show that you are ready to accomplish great things.

• Discuss your work ethic and ability to accomplish tasks efficiently.
• Talk about the courses and training you have had that helped you to better perform your job.
• Show how your personal experiences make you a better employee.
• Explain how your experiences and the qualities you honed there make you the best candidate for the job.

Keeping your response clear and concise will let your interviewer know that you are confident and that you will perform very well within this position.

Mistakes You Should Avoid

Interview questions and their responses help hiring managers to discern a cohesive view of your value as an employee. To avoid pitfalls that may harm that perspective:

• Do not be shy about discussing your goals, skills, and talents.
• Do not appear to be ashamed of your education.
• Do not forget to discuss various affiliations and associations that reflect your deep interest in the work.
• Do not fail to emphasize your positive life experiences.

Hiring managers know that a person’s life experience, volunteer work, and education play vital roles in the type of employee he or she makes. Discussing your broad range of skills and experience will help the interviewer to imagine you as a part of the work team.

Sample Answer

The ideal answer to a question about how your college is perceived by those in your potential field may sound like this:

My interest in performing this job is deeply rooted. In many ways, I have been preparing for it my entire life. The work I accomplished to get ready to do the best job possible in this position includes life experience, personal research, volunteer projects, and the ideal education to make me the very best candidate you will meet.

While educational transcripts and work experience go a long way toward convincing potential employers of your professional potential, your first job with the company is to help them understand why they need you.