How do I sell myself?

I have a good technical background and I know how to perform the required work, but when it comes time talking to interviewers and recruiters about my skills, I get all nervous and start freezing up.

I don't know how to get over this and sell myself properly.

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Plantwiz

Practice.

HOpefully in college and even high school you had the opportunity to take a communicatioins or 'speech' class/public speaking....and you took them.

Apply for a variety of jobs, perferably some you are interested in and go to the interview. Use each interview as an opportunity to 'practice'. If you are offered a job, well, now you have a great opportunity. If you don't want the job, have a solid reason why you now are unavailable for the position (might even become a negotiation point for you

).

Practice with a peer group. Many communities offer business networking groups, sign up and 'network' with people. The more you practice speaking, the better you'll become. Observer how others speak. What traits to 'great' speakers have and why are they successful. Compare this to someone less comfortable speaking to strangers...you'll spot them easily and possibly notice, you are not the only one.

ToastMasters is also a good group to look into.

Bottom line...practice. Think of questions that have been asked in past interviews and rehearse answers. Ask school counselors, Unemployment offices tend to have job placement professionals who can give you tips, etc...

Lots of opportunties, biggest thing is to practice

And don't just make up answers...they do need to be honest and from your heart so that you sell the answer and therefore yourself

Good luck

sir_creamy_

Show a little leg.

Mishra

from one of my previous posts

An interview should be studied for just like a certification. You should go find a few interviews then write down questions you were asked after each interview. Compile the list and then write answers for every question. Peer review your answers with other to make sure it sounds like the correct thing to say.

Study your answers before going into an interview, then when they ask you, you are 100% prepared. You sound more intelligent and experienced if they ask you "What did you do in your past jobs?" if you don't answer with "uhhhh I think I uhh did this and I kinda worked on this".

Once they start doing the technical interviews, make sure to do the same thing. Study what the business wants you for and make sure you have good technical answers to back up their questions.

garv221

sir_creamy_ wrote:

Show a little leg.

Agreed

remyforbes777

I think a good method is reading out loud. This helps with articulation and it helps with nervousness. Do you have anyone that you can practice interviewing with? That would be really helpful. Be confident but not over confident. Don't try to sell them on things you can't do but highlight your strengths. Do you consider yourself anti-social? I don't know how hard that is to overcome because I have never been anti-social.

Sie

Ebay?

Kaminsky

Being able to communcate well and effectively is a difficult skill. From years of helpdesk, pc support and lots and lots of clubbing to build confidence, I pride myself on being ble to strike up friendly conversations with almost anyone on the planet. Friends / complete strangers, makes no matter. Just start talking to people about anything relevent. Weather, taxes, bills, the usual grumbles everyone has and bingo your away.. Justs takes the confidence to make the first friendly move. You will find most people are just as friendly as you given the chance. With some it may take a couple of tries to get em talking back but it generally works. Say something slightly funny and make em smile and your golden.

This is a great way to practice for interviews where confidence is key.

I've just started a new job this week and the interview for it lasted two hours. Mostly because we got chatting

Got the job, great job, great pay, HUGE international IT company. 2nd week I am off for two weeks training and many courses to follow on.

All it took, apart from being qualified and experienced for the job, was good confidence and friendly communication at interview to stand out from the other applicatants with the same experience/qualifications and never for one minute, not one!, worry that the other applicants may be better than me. There is a reason they wanted to get you in and talk to you, use your chance and don't be shy. Sell yourself. No other bugga will!

Good friendly communication is a skill everyone should master, especially us techies who are not well known for it.

Gundamtdk

I have done help desk before.

Oddly, I have no problems talking to people over the phone.

But with face-to-face interviews I start to flake.