How to interview and illustrate skills that are a reach -

How to interview and illustrate skills that are a reach - What are the skills you need to demonstrate when you apply for jobs? Its usually not very difficult to identify what employers are looking for; their 3000-word, in-depth job descriptions dont leave much to the imagination. Many firms also post videos, have Facebook sites and Twitter feeds touting their organizations and why you might want to work there. Skip these resources at your own peril they are telling you exactly what you need to know to be a strong candidate. But, what if most everything on the job description is a great match for your skills, but they want one or two skills or accomplishments you dont really have a lot to say about? A good example? Leadership skills. So many jobs are looking for people with leadership skills. You know you need to address how you are a great leader in the interview, but, truth be told you havent had a lot of opportunities to lead. Maybe youre an entry-level candidate or youre trying to move into a leadership position. However, as far as specific stories about how you led a team to greatness, you dont really have it. Some things to consider: Its acceptable (and expected) to share non-work related leadership stories if your job isnt very leadership focused. Volunteer work is very useful for this. Maybe you led a team and raised a lot of money for a cause. Or, you galvanized a lot of other volunteers and accomplished a big goal. Your leadership stories do not need to focus entirely on your paid work experiences. That said, it does help to be able to work in information about how you demonstrated leadership at work. Focus on what skills are useful to have as a leaderBreak down the topic of leadership and see if you can identify some matches between what youve exhibited on the job and your career goals. (Note: remember, you can break down the topic for any skill you want to illustrate.) For example a leader: Shows (and takes) initiative enthusiastically Takes responsibility for his or her actions Has strong communication skills Can think on his or her feet and make decisions Is able to convince others of a viewpoint or plan and inspires them to cooperate Demonstrates dedication and confidence Is comfortable with a certain amount of ambiguity Is focused on the best possible ways to get the job done Thinks analytically and focuses on the task at hand Sees the bigger picture and makes suggestions to avoid obstacles Hones strong relationships Shows good judgement Is imaginative and innovative Consider addressing a question about leadership like this: When I think of the best leaders, they demonstrate dedication and confidence, can think ahead and make good decisions and have strong relationships with their teammates. (Then, tell a story illustrating a time when you used those three skills.) Framing the definition of leadership and providing a story showing how and when you used those characteristics will help you answer a question that might otherwise have stymied you if you were thinking of a very traditional example of you leading a group or a team, but you have not done that on the job. What suggestions do you have to answer interview questions that might otherwise really stump you? Resources for this list: An article by Barbara White, who has over twenty years experience in leadership. She is President of Beyond Better Development, which specializes in motivation and training in interpersonal skills. Coach4Growth photo by Leo Reynolds