Your skills

Typical questions an interviewer might ask:

• · What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• · What can you do for us that other candidates can't?
• · What would your colleagues and friends consider as your best qualities?
• · Why should we hire you?

• What the interviewer really wants to know: can you do the job?

Know your strengths, and mention ones that are relevant to the job you're being interviewed for. It's important to quote examples of when you used the skills; it's not enough to just say you have the skills. Typical strengths employers look for are:

• · Communication - the ability to get on with a wide range of people
• · Team working - the ability to be an effective team leader or team member
• · IT skills - most jobs these days need some IT skills
• · Good attitude - hard worker, honest, polite, co-operative
• · Problem solving - using your initiative to identify solutions
• · Enthusiasm - employers like someone positive
• · Quick learner - so you can take on new tasks
• · Determination - shows you are focused on achieving goals
• · Flexibility - doing a variety of tasks to achieve a common goal.

• If you're asked about weaknesses, don't list many - only mention one! Choose a minor flaw that isn't essential to the job. Turn it into a positive, such as how you've worked on the weakness. Or you could present it as an opportunity for development.

Good answers:

• · Strengths: 'I'm a good organiser, and I plan everything in detail. I showed this when I was given a new project, and I had to get it up and running from scratch.'
• · Weaknesses: 'Sometimes I'm too enthusiastic when working on a new project. But I've learned to adjust to everyone else's pace, and not go charging ahead.'