Landing a Federal Job Tips and Tricks

Although the question seems simple enough, it’s easy to give the wrong answer. You may want to reply with a long explanation of your personal or professional history, combined with your hobbies and interests, but that’s not really what the interviewer wants.Instead, weave an abbreviated version of your story — highlighting your most significant accomplishments and experience — into a sales pitch for how you’re ideal for this position. Make the interviewer want to know more about you.

Don’t start a lengthy list of the things you think are your strengths. Instead, think about the strengths the company is looking for. What do they need in an employee to accomplish their goals? Reframe your goals to fit the position and then narrow them down. Being clear about how you’ll use your skills in a professional setting will give you a strategic advantage.

Be careful! Saying you have no weaknesses isn’t true — everyone has areas in which they can improve. But don’t give the interviewer a laundry list of red flags. Think about an area you’ve been working on, like time management or perfectionism. Tell them why you feel it’s a weakness, but also tell them what you’re doing to improve.

First, make sure you really are interested in the position. Indifference will show no matter how well you answer the questions. Next, explain why this role is a great fit for you. Highlight a few of the attributes you’ll bring to the table and how you’ll use those attributes to benefit the company. What about this particular company appeals to you? You’ll win points by demonstrating your knowledge about the company and the role and showing how you’ll make a positive impact.

This question, while intimidating, offers you the perfect opportunity to sell yourself. When posed this question, tell the hiring manager about the qualifications that set you apart from other candidates, your ability to deliver proven and measurable results, and how you will help the company achieve its goals.

As you do with your overall tone for the interview, keep your response positive. Rather than focusing on an irritating co-worker or on feeling stagnant, mention that you’re interested in learning new skills that complement your current skills. If you were let go, be honest, but you don’t have to elaborate.

Again, be honest. But let the interviewer know what you learned from the experience and how it’s changed your perspective.

Interviews are your chance to shine, so don’t be shy. Boast about the things you’ve accomplished, especially if you have the metrics to back them up. Stuck on what to say? One easy way to self-promote is by using the STAR method:

• Situation and Task. Explain the task you had to accomplish, including any relevant background information.
• Action. What you did to accomplish the task.
• Result. What you achieved. If you can relate this to actual numbers — the percentage increase in sales you achieved, how much you saved the company, etc. — even better!8. Why should we hire you? This is a great opportunity to make one final pitch for yourself. Sum up your qualifications and achievements and tie them in with what the interviewer is looking for in their next employee.

Explain how you would get ramped up, including any training that would be helpful. How could you start contributing, however small, right away? If you can show the interviewer you’re excited enough about the job that you’ve already started to think like an employee, you’ll impress them.

Use this question to demonstrate how you handle pressure and can think outside the box. The situation could involve changing deadlines or expectations, making the decision to fire an employee or restructure a team, or handling a displeased client.

Elaborate on what the mistake was, why you made it, how you rectified it and what you learned from it. Everyone makes mistakes — employers want to know how you handled them and what your biggest takeaway was.

While it’s easy to talk about your favorite parts of a job, you need to be delicate when talking about the negatives. You don’t want to come across as having a negative attitude or being unwilling to do certain tasks. One of the best ways to address the negatives of a current job is by discussing how previous roles have prepared you for new and more challenging ones. It’s important to keep a positive attitude and be respectful of your peers and superiors.

Think about the process you use to work through challenges. How did you manage them? What did you learn from them? How did this challenge shape the way you approach future situations?

Obviously, you don’t want to speak negatively about these individuals. Phrase the disagreement in factual, objective terms and then outline your problem-solving strategy. How did you use that to manage future interactions? Let the interviewer know what you learned and how you’d apply that in other situations.

While there’s no right or wrong answer, the job you’re applying for may require a lot of interaction or it may require that you be an independent self-motivator. It’s best to show examples of how you successfully worked in both types of scenarios.

Questions like these help an interviewer understand if you will be a long- or a short-term employee. Are you focused on helping the company grow and improve, or will you move on to another opportunity with another organization as soon as it presents itself? Think about how this position might evolve over the years and combine it with your ambition level. Then, focus your answer on the job you’re interviewing for and the company you’re interviewing with.

Interviewers are looking for concrete answers. Explain how you achieved past goals and then discuss how you will use those same skills to set and achieve future goals. Most employers appreciate employees who are dedicated to their professional growth, so consider talking about how you leverage continuing education to make your goals a reality.