Value is a very important topic to discuss during a job interview. It would not make sense for a hiring manager to go ahead and hire someone he or she is not certain will be an asset to the company. Every employer would want to know that his or her potential hire has something valuable to input into the organization. So how do you show an employer that you have added value at work?
There are different ways interviewers can present questions concerning values. Here are some samples:
- How do you think you can add value to our company?
- What value do you bring to the table as a new employee?
- What is the greatest value you have added to your company?
- In your previous job, tell me what you did to increase shareholder equity.
- Can you make a positive impact on our stock price? How will you go about this?
In this blog, we discuss why the interviewer asks how you have added value before, and how you should answer them. Also, read more about frequently asked job interview questions here and check our job interview preparation checklist
Why Do Interviewers Ask How You Have Added Value?
Before talking about how to tackle this question, you should first know the motive behind this question.
Interviews ask this question not for you to recite your roles as it is written in the job posting but for you to mention how that role (your work) will contribute to the general value of the company.
They want you to be specific in telling how you went about it and, if possible quantify the value you have added to the progress of your company.
How To Show Employers That You Have Added Value?
Below we discuss a couple of points to take into account when you want to show a prospective employer how you have added value in previous positions.
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Get the definition of success in your previous job roles right
Each sector, company, or organization varies in the goods or services they offer to society. In likewise manner, each sector, company, or organization has different ways in which it views success. A school could see success as improving on students’ grades and scores while an investment company could view success as the increase in shareholder equity.
Therefore, before talking about the values, you should first think of how success or value is measured in your previous organization or previous job roles.
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List out all the ways you have achieved success
After making a clear definition of success in your job roles, you should list out all the times you have been able to achieve it. Is there a particular time when you got new clients, when the population of students in your school went very high or when students grades increased significantly during the year?
You should also make a list of the awards or recognitions you have received at your place of work: they are worth mentioning.
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Quantify the success
Once you have your list ready, think of ways you can measure the accomplishments and achievements. Numbers help recruiters to get a precise view of how you have added value to your company. It doesn’t have to relate to profits made in terms of monetary values; it could simply refer to costs reduced, time saved, or a system of operation improved.
Value- related keywords
Here are some active verbs which point to adding value that you can add to your CV and cover letter. You might as well practice with them for your interviews:
- Generated
- Created
- Saved
- Negotiated
- Developed
- Increased/decreased
- Achieved
- Nominated/awarded
- Won
- Launched
- Improved
- Revenue/profits
- Provided
- Recognized
- Contributed
How, When & Where To Mention How You’ve Added Value
Below we discuss a couple of moments where you can mention how you have added value at work.
In your resume
Your resume ideally should have different sections- your personal profile, your qualifications, skills, experiences, and the work history section. The section for your work history should not just contain a list of the organizations you have worked with in the past and your roles there. It should also include highlights on how you added value to those organizations.
In your cover letter
Your cover letter should include one or two stories that highlight your achievements. When you list out your skills, pick one or two out of it, and give an illustration to demonstrate that you are the best candidate for the job.
The whole idea is that your success story or stories point towards the value you added in your past jobs. Remember to quantify your success and emphasize on your awards, as this will prove to your prospective employer that you were valued at work.
During the job interview
During your interview, it is very much likely that a question regarding value input will be thrown at you. It could come in any of the formats, as mentioned above. If they do, it will be easier for you to respond to the question since you already have a list you created and success stories you have developed even before the interview.
Even if the question does not come directly as “how have you added value to your previous work?” you should still find an opportunity to chip in how you have been a valuable asset while answering other interview questions.
A Sample Answer To Demonstrate How You Have Added Value
‘In my current position as a business development manager, I’m responsible for a team of five and was tasked with identifying new business opportunities and maintaining relationships with existing clients. Last year, a client approached me who was looking for an additional service in our software that we did not yet provide at the time. For me, this was a great opportunity because it was a request for a new product on top of our current service that came from a client.
I told our client that we did not offer that service at the time but that we could develop it fairly quickly. I asked them how they used our product and how the new service in our software would benefit them in order to get a better understanding of their request and help them improve their business. After that, I contacted our development department, and we made a plan to develop the service within the next couple of months.
I presented the plan to our client and discussed that they could use the service for free on a trial basis to help us finetune the software. This allowed us to test the new features with an actual user of the product to get it ready to launch in the market. The client was impressed by our efforts in order to satisfy them and happily agreed with our solution. We were able to develop the new feature within three months and made it available for other clients after six. For our team, this was a great achievement that did not only help satisfy an important client but also generated additional turnover.’
Job Interview Topics – Common Job Interview Questions & Answers
Below you can find a list of common job interview topics. Each link will direct you to an article regarding the specific topics that discuss commonly asked interview questions. Furthermore, each article discusses why the interviewer asks these questions and how you answer them!
- Accomplishments
- Adaptability
- Admission
- Behavioral
- Career Change
- Career Goals
- Communication
- Competency
- Conflict Resolution
- Creative Thinking
- Cultural Fit
- Customer Service
- Direct
- Experience
- Government
- Graduate
- Growth Potential
- Honesty & Integrity
- Illegal
- Inappropriate
- Job Satisfaction
- Leadership
- Management
- Entry-Level & No experience
- Performance-Based
- Personal
- Prioritization & Time Management
- Problem-solving
- Salary
- Situational & Scenario-based
- Stress Management
- Teamwork
- Telephone Interview
- Tough
- Uncomfortable
- Work Ethic
