Powerful Words To Use In Job Interviews

There you are, you sent your resume and cover letter, and you got a call for an interview. Great news, but what now? What do you have to say? What kind of questions can you expect, and how should you present yourself? During a job interview, there is one topic that will be discussed continuously; you. Therefore, make sure that you’re able to talk about yourself and describe yourself in a professional way. It’s your goal during a job interview that you show yourself in the best way possible so that they choose you to be on their team. Using powerful words during the job interview could help you out.

Before the job interview, it’s smart to come up with a couple of adjectives that describe you well. These power words are to be used to show you off in the best light possible. Get creative with them so that you don’t sound like any other candidate that is pitching themselves. Interviewers are alert to certain words and the weight you give to them. By using certain words, you can convey knowledge of the position and what’s required. Also, it shows confidence and that you’re a good fit for the company if they align with the job description.

10 examples of power words and why you should use them

1. We

The word ‘we’ is powerful by itself. By using this pronoun, you’re already talking like you’re part of a team or have successfully been part of a team in the past when giving an example situation. Using the word ‘we’ shows that you’re able to think as a team player and that you can collectively work on, for instance, increasing sales and reaching more clients.

2. Initiative

Every recruiter is looking for a self-starter, regardless of the job type or what’s written in the job description. A driven person who feels free to take the initiative is someone that every employer wants on their team. Everybody needs coaching now and then, but employers want someone who does not wait around to be told what to do. When the opportunity arises to give an example of a situation in which you took the initiative to get the job done, explain to the interviewer(s) how you got the job done. The best way to do this is, according to the STAR method.

3. Strategy and Plan

Using these words demonstrates that you can think in a calculated way and think things through before you act. When giving examples of certain situations, you can bring up any strategic plans that you made or key strategic roles that you held. Provide the interviewer with information on how you structured your plan. This shows that you’re able to think about details and roll out a plan to accomplish your work tasks.

If you can convince the interviewer that you possess strategy and planning skills by providing examples, it shows that you are able to develop a vision into a project to get the result you want.

4. Responsibility

Employees who take responsibility for their work and getting the job done are the ones that hiring managers are looking for. Ensure that you don’t come across as someone who passes work on to others, delegate tasks upwards or any other form of not taking responsibility for your work.

By giving an example to an interview question where you took responsibility for achieving a goal, and specifically explaining how you achieved that goal, shows the interviewer that you’re up for the job. Such examples help to demonstrate that you’re reliable and hard-working.

5. Results and Achieved

The words results and achieved show that you can work towards and reach set goals and results. Business is all about gettings results and gettings things done. When you’re being interviewed, and a question about achieved results comes up, make sure that you describe the – positive – impact your activities had on the company and your team.

6. Example and Measurable

During a job interview, the interviewer will ask you to provide some examples of certain situations to demonstrate your skills, abilities, and experience. Responding in the right way to such questions can really help to put yourself in a positive light. When you’re being asked for a specific example, it forces you to show what you got in terms of experience. For instance:

Interviewer: ‘Tell me about a challenge you’ve faced and how you handled it.’

You: ‘For example, in my previous job, we faced a tough deadline, and the specific manager was out of the office. Our client was expecting (..). I took initiative to..’

In business, effective communication and concrete facts outweigh abstract generalities. Therefore, if you are able to provide specific example situations, it will make you look more credible. For instance, there is a powerful and less powerful way of providing an example to the interviewer.

Not powerful: ‘I worked long days to get a lot of sales in that department.’

Powerful: ‘On average I worked 60 hours a week and was able to increase sales by 20% in 6 months’.

7. Recommend

When you use the word recommend in the right context, it shows that you’re able to develop your plans and make an argument for why your team, manager, or colleague should approve. When giving an example of a situation, instead of saying ‘I asked the team to take this option‘ say ‘I recommended the team to take this option‘ or ‘I suggested to my team that we take this option based on (..)’.

8. Collaborate

Working on a team is crucial in almost every position. Even when you’re working alone a lot, you will have some sort of teamwork or team communication now and then. Having experience with (successfully) working on a team and being able to provide examples is something every employer is looking for. However, the wording here is important. Rather than saying that you ‘worked with another department‘ say that you ‘collaborated with another department.’ This sounds far more powerful.

9. Leader

Leadership traits are wanted by every hiring manager and employer. Even if you’re not applying to a management position or leadership role, showing that you possess leadership skills that you can further develop in the future shows that you’re ready to succeed. It shows that you’re driven and that you are there both to advance yourself in your career and the company and its goals.

10. Thank you

The words ‘thank you’ are very powerful and underrated in kb interviews. Thank the interviewers at the end of the interview to show that you appreciate them being there, their time, and the opportunity to have a conversation. Also, send a thank-you note after each job interview to the interviewers.

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!

1. Accomplishments
2. Adaptability
3. Admission
4. Behavioral
5. Career Change
6. Career Goals
7. Communication
8. Competency
9. Conflict Resolution
10. Creative Thinking
11. Cultural Fit
12. Customer Service
13. Direct
14. Experience
15. Government
16. Graduate
17. Growth Potential
18. Honesty & Integrity
19. Illegal
20. Inappropriate
21. Job Satisfaction
22. Leadership
23. Management
24. Entry-Level & No experience
25. Performance-Based
26. Personal
27. Prioritization & Time Management
28. Problem-solving
29. Salary
30. Situational & Scenario-based
31. Stress Management
32. Teamwork
33. Telephone Interview
34. Tough
35. Uncomfortable
36. Work Ethic