In these short pages, we provide a sample answer for each interview question in relation to the industry shown. We then analyse the answer, pointing out valuable information so that you can adapt the answer to your specific circumstances.
Information Technology - What Are Your Strengths?
Answer
I feel my strongest skill would be my technical knowledge in the area. I like to keep myself updated and stay ahead of the game. This keeps my colleagues on their toes and raises the standard in the office. I have found this approach to be useful in positions I've previously had, as it puts me on the front foot in the job. I am an efficient Computer Programmer and feel this is a necessity even at a basic level in I.T., as it equips staff to be able to support customers or coordinate projects. I trained myself in this area as I felt it would work well with my degree.
Over the course of my degree, I also studied I.T. Security Management at an intermediate level. Although my discipline wasn't mainly focused on this, I got a clear understanding of finding loopholes in systems and pinpointing vulnerabilities. This enables me to protect against data breaches which could have a devastating impact on a business. I used this knowledge previously when I assisted the Cyber Security team to remove a virus that was uploaded into the system by an outgoing Employee. We successfully removed the virus without aggravation and without losing any essential data.
I have a critical eye for detail and an effective photographic memory. I have previously shown this when analysing big data. Some of my colleagues would go back and forth and re-read the same information as they couldn't grasp the data. I have never had that problem and it makes me extremely efficient in my work.
Analysis
The Interviewee begins by explaining their systematic approach to keeping themselves in the know. Elaborating on this makes it clear to the employer that they are well organised, structured and methodical while they're working. The employer is being drawn in by the Interviewee by them mentioning their technical skills from the get-go. Technical skills (hard skills) are in a lot of ways the most valuable skills to have in the world of I.T.
The Interviewee builds on this by letting the employer know they are equipped to deal with security issues if the situation arises. So far, the Interviewee is crippling their Interview opposition because not many candidates will have these traits. By telling the employer about their abilities in other aspects of the job, it also shows that the Interviewee is willing to go above and beyond the day-to-day requirements of their own role to assist the company any way they can. This highlights the Interviewee's versatility. The Interviewee also provides an example to demonstrate the use of the skill.
The Interviewee seems like a shoo-in at this point.
The Interviewee then completes their answer by showing the focus they have for small detail. This is a hugely important skill to have in the working world. Employers love to have somebody they can rely on for the little things; somebody who can assess a situation and identify the problem and pick up the slack, if needed.
Overall, the Interviewee moves through their answer with their value and usefulness in mind. He/she wants to ensure that the employer feels like they need to hire them. Making the employer see that it's to their advantage to hire you is certainly something that would make a candidate stand out.