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How to Show You’re Action-Oriented in an Interview

Apr 18, 2023 | Podcast


World at Work Podcast Episode 28 How to Show youre action oriented in an interview

“Being able to be action oriented is so important because people at the end of the day, they’re hiring you to solve a problem.”

In an episode of the World at Work podcast, Cassie and I talk about the significance of being action-oriented during job interviews and on resumes. One of the most important things in an interview is sharing specific examples and experiences. Avoid providing hypothetical responses. By using acronyms like OAR (obstacle, action, and result) or PAR (problem, action, and result), job seekers can effectively structure their interview answers.

There is also a lot of value I things like detailed data and metrics in resumes to showcase accomplishments. As technology has led to shorter attention spans, being specific and using storytelling helps candidates stand out and demonstrate their expertise, knowledge, and skills to potential employers.

After listening to this episode, you will:

  • Master the art of displaying an action-oriented approach in both interviews and resumes.
  • Hone your ability to provide specific and compelling workplace examples and stories.
  • Leverage the OAR/PAR acronym for generating structured and effective interview responses.
  • Shift your focus from hypothetical answers to real-life experiences when discussing professional situations.
  • Boost your credibility by showcasing your achievements through the use of data and metrics.

Are you feeling frustrated and stuck trying to showcase your proactivity with just general examples in interviews and resumes? Break free from the status quo and discover how to effectively capitalize on your professional experiences to make a lasting impression. Reach out to Best Culture Solutions so we can help you proactively update your resume and prepare you for your next interview.

“You can’t take on leadership if you’re not action oriented. It’s all about taking action, taking the lead on something.”

Episode Highlights

00:02:12 – Tim defines action-oriented as the tendency to take action when problems present themselves, finding areas where you can positively influence things, and taking action on those items.

00:04:04 – Being action-oriented means that you are more likely to help organizations solve their problems, which is why employers are interested in candidates who demonstrate this trait.

00:07:47 – Carol Quinn’s concept of an internal or external locus of control is useful for demonstrating action-orientedness, while questions about how candidates have solved problems in the past can provide opportunities to show how they take action.

00:13:36 – Job seekers should share specific stories, examples, and actions they took during the interview. Being afraid to share too much or being too high-level in responses can hurt the job seeker. Specificity is key to answering questions effectively and leaving a lasting impression on the interviewer.

00:15:01 – Specific examples are crucial in answering interview questions effectively. Hypothetical answers won’t leave a lasting impression on the interviewer. Sharing the obstacle, action, and result is a useful acronym to follow during interviews. It’s important to use specific examples of accomplishments on resumes too.

00:19:00 – Job seekers should use the OAR or PAR method when answering interview questions. The OAR method stands for Obstacle, Action, Result, and the PAR method stands for Problem, Action, Result. Using specific examples and actions is more effective than hypothetical answers.

00:21:08 – The action taken in a specific example is the most important part of an effective interview answer. The result is not as crucial as the action. Interviewers often ask hypothetical questions, but it’s essential to provide specific examples. Using the OAR or PAR method can help job seekers prepare for interviews.

Tim Dyck
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