Do you struggle with promoting yourself to potential employers? Read our guide to learn how to sell yourself in a job interview.
One of the most common pieces of job interview advice given to candidates is to “sell yourself”. In other words, do your best to persuade the interviewer of your worth and the value you could potentially bring to their company. In the interview, you are both the marketer and the product. While self-promotion may come naturally to some, for many of us this is a difficult task. However, it is important to master this skill in order to set yourself up for success in your job interview.
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The Art of Self-Promotion
Hard work is the foundation of success—but it’s not enough. When you are job hunting, you cannot rely on the quality of your work to speak for itself. In order to land the opportunities you want, you need to be able to communicate your achievements and make your positive results visible to others. Some may think that self-promotion is merely an exercise in self-aggrandisement, however in reality the aim of self-promotion is to build up confidence in others so they trust you to take on a new challenge.
Self-promotion boils down to what you say and how you say it. The words you speak should be compelling and credible. Your delivery needs to communicate confidence (not arrogance) through both verbal and non-verbal cues. In this guide, we will offer ten practical tips to help you learn how to sell yourself in a job interview setting.
Many candidates find that working with a trusted recruitment partner can help them become more comfortable with selling themselves in a job interview session. Your recruiter can share general interview tips and conduct mock interviews to help build your confidence in the lead-up to an interview. They can also help you to identify your specific selling points for the role in question, so you can effectively make your case to the employer.
How to Sell Yourself in A Job Interview: 10 Tips
Give Yourself Permission
If you’re the kind of person who dislikes talking about yourself, then it’s important to work on becoming more comfortable doing this. This is a vital skill that will prove useful throughout your life. The first thing you need to do is to permit yourself to be positive and to take pride in your achievements. People who are naturally modest may find this difficult, but just remember that it is not prideful or arrogant to simply acknowledge what you’re good at. If you struggle with self-confidence, then it may also be worthwhile to read up on strategies on how to silence your inner critic.
Start with the Job Description
As part of your interview prep, you will need to read and re-read the job interview to gain insights into what the organisation is seeking. When reading the job interview keep one question in mind: “how can I add value?”. Grab a notebook and jot down desirable skills and qualities mentioned in the description that you feel apply to you. For each point, think of a time when you demonstrated this skill or quality. This exercise will help you to develop talking points that are relevant to the company’s needs.
Practice Until It Feels Natural
If you dislike talking about yourself, practice can help a lot. Not only will this enable you to work out the kinks before the interview, but it will also give you a chance to become more comfortable with saying positive things about yourself. If possible, do a mock interview with your recruiter or with a friend. For more tips on how to calm pre-interview jitters, read our dedicated guide “How to Calm Your Nerves Before An Interview.”
Physically Project Confidence
“Body language is a very powerful tool. We had body language before we had speech, and apparently, 80% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words.” –Deborah Bull, Dancer & Broadcaster
There are many nonverbal cues you can use to project confidence so be sure to consider your eye contact, hand motions, posture, and tone of voice. For example, you can communicate interest in what the interviewer is saying by nodding your head and leaning in slightly.
Positive body language in a job interview
- Make eye contact
- Smile
- Keep your back straight back and your shoulders relaxed
- Lean in slightly to indicate interest in what the interviewer is saying
- Keep your feet firmly on the ground
- Avoid fidgeting
Take Your Time
When you’re nervous, you may feel that your heart starts to race and your breathing becomes quicker. In a stressful interview situation, this may cause you to rush your responses and over-talk. To counteract this, try to answer questions mindfully. Before answering any question, take a quick pause to breathe and consider your answer (taking a sip of water can buy you extra time if needed). Remember, the interviewer will be far more impressed with a careful, considered response than a rushed one.
Back-Up Your Answers With Evidence
In a job interview, it’s a good idea to back up your claims with supporting evidence. This will make you seem more credible and trustworthy. You can use statistics, stories and quotes to do this. The CAR (Context, Action, Result) Method provides a handy framework for answering questions:
Q: Tell me about a time when you helped to turn around your team’s sales performance.
Context: “One of my previous employer’s sales divisions was experiencing decreasing sales – so I was brought in to help reverse the situation. My challenge was to manage the team effectively so they were able to exceed (not just meet) their sales targets.”
Action: “Over a six-month period, I introduced several initiatives within the team, including setting specific and measurable sales targets for each individual within the team; introducing weekly sales meetings for the team and for each individual within the team; and implementing a structured sales training program. I also conducted market research to identify what our main competitors were doing, set up focus groups with major clients to establish key goals, and introduced a new remuneration system that linked sales performance to remuneration packages.”
Result: “We increased sales by 60% and exceeded sales targets by 25% in the first quarter, and continued the upward trajectory throughout the next year.”
Look Good, Feel Good
Research has revealed that people form a first impression of someone within five seconds of meeting them. The way you dress has a major effect on how people first perceive you, so it’s important to get it right. What’s more, dressing the part will help you get into the right mindset before the interview (this is especially the case if you are interviewing remotely from home).
How to Dress For an Interview: Top Tips
- Match the formality of the company.
- Wear comfortable clothing that you can easily move around in.
- Pay attention to the details (e.g. shoes, accessories).
- Wash and iron your outfit the day before your interview.
- When it comes to accessories, perfume and make-up, go for a “less is more” approach.
Keep it Positive
When it comes to interviews, a positive mindset can be infectious. As the old adage goes, “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” So what can you do to signal positivity during a job interview:
- Smile.
- Show excitement for the role.
- Talk about how the role ties in with your passions and interests.
- Try to skew your answers in a positive way and avoid bringing up negatives.
- Demonstrate a can-do attitude towards learning new tasks and skills.
Ask Questions
Interviews are not intended to be a one-way street. Asking questions allows you to find out more about the role and demonstrate your enthusiasm. It also gives you a chance to subtly show off any research you have done. Well-crafted questions will mark you out as a curious, conscientious and astute candidate. Before leaving the interview, always ask about the next step and use this as an opportunity to reiterate your interest in the role.
Quote Others
Another way to sell yourself in an interview is to use “testimonials” i.e. use the words and recommendations of others. For example, you could cite some positive feedback you received in one of your annual reviews or perhaps a customer gave you a glowing review.
How to Sell Yourself In A Job Interview: Be Your Own Champion
The scientist Maxwell Maltz once said that “The most important sale in life is to sell yourself to yourself.” If you have confidence in yourself and in your abilities, this will shine through to anyone you speak with. So don’t be afraid to own your achievements and to be your own champion.
