When preparing for an interview, it’s always worth assuming that you will be asked a question that centres around what you could bring to the role. The aim of this question is usually to gain an understanding of whether or not you have some of the key essential skills and values needed to be effective in the role, and/or, whether or not you would be a good cultural fit in the organisation. So, it’s pretty important to answer these types of questions well.
Some of the key skills interviewers could be looking for include:
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Time management and meeting deadlines
- Adaptability
- Customer Service
- Motivation
When preparing your answer, make a list of the skills that are included within the person specification for the role in which you are applying, and do some research into the company values.
There are usually two main types of questions that get asked in a typical interview – Behavioural and Competency, and it’s important to understand the difference.
- Competency-based questions relate to how you can demonstrate your ability to carry out the task/technical aspects of a role. The questions will focus mainly on your skills.
- Behavioural-based questions relate to your behaviours in certain situations – how you do things, your approach and your cultural fit.
“What can you bring to the role?” mainly falls into the Behavioural category, although you can talk about technical skills in your answer too. Think about examples to back up what you are saying, rather than just providing a list of skills.
Methods to help you prepare
How you prepare for your interview will be down to you and your personal preference. However, here are two methods that we think work really well. With either method, it can be useful to make notes, which you can then take into your interview with you as a prompt. This will help you to give excellent, well-rounded answers.
CAR
C – Context
Describe the situation in which you were working or the challenge you faced.
A – Action
Talk about how you solved the problem/addressed the issue and the actions that you took.
R – Result
Talk about the outcome and what you learned.
STAR
S – Situation
In this section, talk about the situation itself. Describe the context in which you were working or the challenge you were facing.
T – Task
This section talk about the tasks which needed to be completed in order to resolve or address the situation. What were you asked to do, or what did you decide to do?
A – Action
In this section talk about what your responsibility was in completing the tasks. Focus on the part you played specifically and how you contributed, rather than what your team or colleagues did.
R – Result
In this section, talk about what the outcome was, and what you achieved.
Some people also add an additional “R” at the end for Reflection. Here, you could talk about what you felt went well, and if there would be anything you would change next time.
For more guidance on securing your dream role, contact our expert recruiters today.
