Hit Home Runs in Interviews

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As we discussed in our last post one of the four ways to answer interview questions employs hitting home runs. A home run statement consists of 4 parts similar to a baseball diamond:
1st Base: You describe where you did what you will highlight
2nd Base: You briefly (don’t dance on 2nd base) outline what you did that benefitted the company
3rd Base: You explain the benefits your action created for the company. Ensure that you include numbers, dollars, percentages to highlight specific return on investment to the company.
Home Plate: You apply that success to the company interviewing you with a question or statement.
How to Hit Home Runs
Home run statement answer questions that explore what you can do, have done, and can contribute to their bottom line. Examples of questions that ask for a home run include:

• Q: “If we called your last employer what would they say about you?”
• A: I believe John’s Markets would tell that I was one of their most accurate cashiers. My cash drawer was never over or under one penny for 18 months. I find most stores appreciate my accuracy.”
• Q: “Tell me about your experience at ACME Properties?”
• A: “I loved my experience as CFO at ACME Properties. I discovered an error in our property tax assessment. I worked with the tax commission for 8 months before they lowered our property taxes by $500,000 per year. Would you like me to find similar savings for your company?”
• Q: “Describe a time that you made a sacrifice that benefited the company"
• “At Cobb Industries, we were putting together a very time sensitive promotion. The approving authorities would only be available for 2 days before they left for three weeks to tour our international operations. They made major changes to our first proposal. I worked all through the night and had all their changes incorporated in a new presentation by 9am the next morning. They approved the project which saved us $150,000 in potential lost production. I would sacrifice similarly to help you achieve your goals.”
• Q: “What are your greatest strengths?”
• A: “I’m very results oriented. For example, I took over one operation and saw they had the right people on the wrong seats in the bus. I rearranged the staff and increased productivity by 87% in four months and 230% in two years. Are those the kind of increases you would like in your company?”

You desire two reactions to your home run statements: (1) WOW and (2) How did you do that? Do not try to hit a home run with every question. That annoys people. Cut some to triples and others to doubles.
Now that you understand how to hit home runs, you know one of the four ways to answer interview questions.
Our next post will explain how your dessert tray answers the dreaded “Tell me about yourself”
Please share your good and bad interview experiences