Interview Question Series: How to Answer Skills-Based Questions

Do you have an upcoming interview? Is it your dream job or something you’re really passionate about? Well, don’t let your nerves get in the way of you getting the job you’re after. Most people dread their next job interview because of all the tough questions hiring managers tend to ask; especially when it surrounds a question involving ‘What skills can you bring to the company?’

Skill-based interview questions are a common and popular interview question that’s often asked with the intention of narrowing down your own capabilities and providing a clear insight into all the great things you can bring to the job.

The most sought after skills by employers are changing rapidly. Having strong skills in IT and analytical skills is more important today than in the past few decades. If you need to brush up on your skills, a short course is a great way to build up your knowledge bank.

It’s important to note when answering this that your answers should also be fit for the job you’re applying for and your answers for skills should centre around the job description. For example, if you’re applying for a job for accounting and you say that you have excellent interpersonal and communication skills (working with people) then you may not be considered for the job.

However, if you say that your skills involve challenge and a keen eye for detail, then this would be more suited to accounting. And so, it’s essential to impress your employers by showing that you’re the best candidate for the job you’re seeking when compared to others who have applied and including your past experience to back up the skills you’re including is the best way you can demonstrate your experience and what you can bring to the job.

By mentioning the previous skills, and also thinking about your strengths can be a great way to understand the best way to answer the skills-based questions. Some of the most popular types of questions you can be asked in an interview include:

Ultimately, the skills-based interview questions may not be as broad as “what skills can you bring to the company/job?” and instead may be narrowed to questions such as the ones previously mentioned that are used to allow you to gather as much evidence of how you, as an individual, have acquired the skills necessary to be considered an excellent addition to the team. It’s always important to center the skills you provide that adequately fit the job description.

If you use these tips and apply them to your next interview, then you’ll be on your way to impressing your employer in no time and are one step closer to acquiring your new career change.