Let me suggest that in a job interview, your answer to the first, formal, interview question, will be a major factor in your success in the interview

The key messages for this Module is,

When Answering first job interview question:

1. Use the Open – Middle – Close structure’
2. Avoid too long or too short an answer

The first question in a job interview is likely to be along the lines of, “Tell us why you’re the best person for the job, or “Why do you want this job?”

Here is a template example for your response to the first question using the Open- Middle Close structure, and where you can fill in the blanks

Michael, why are you the best person for the job.”

Let me tell you why I’m the best person for the job.

Number one is my track record with x

Number two –  is my ability to go deep into y and make the entire z suite more productive

And Number three is my leadership experience which has allowed me to turn-around a major project that was running off the rails

Let me elaborate on the turn-around project.

Now at this point you’d spend 30-45 seconds or so detailing that project turn-around, and then you’d say.

And that’s why I’m the best person for the job. Because of, number one track record, number two, my deep knowledge of y and the z suite, and number three, my leadership experience.

Here is a visual representation of how much time you should take in your answer to the first question

Too short an answer is like this. Too much information is like this. A good quantity of time is this much.