| You'll soon be out of the service and looking for the | | | | Try to focus on how you manage time, work well with |
| right civilian job. You're confident that your military | | | | others, or help your employer save money. This is |
| experience and your education credentials will get you | | | | good spot to give a specific work example of your |
| in the door, but you're worried about the interview. | | | | strength. Veterans can also address how well they |
| That's a common fear, but the key to a good job | | | | handled the stress that comes with many jobs in the |
| interview is preparation. | | | | military. |
| In the military you don't have to sell yourself for a job; | | | | - What is your greatest weakness? You knew it was |
| normally your peers and officers know your worth - | | | | coming and it's a tough one. Similarly to question |
| and you get promoted to a new position or rank | | | | number two, you probably shouldn't say "I work too |
| based on the reputation of your performance. In the | | | | hard." One of the best strategies here is to admit |
| civilian world, however, each new company you | | | | some minor flaw you once had, but have since |
| encounter is a whole new world where you have to | | | | overcome. This approach is honest, and demonstrates |
| prove yourself. Think of it this way: when a salesman | | | | how you look for opportunities to improve. |
| at the store tries to sell you a new television, you can't | | | | - Where do you see yourself in six years? This is a |
| make the right decision until you learn more about the | | | | classic question and one that has a whole range of |
| product. The same is true for employers: they don't | | | | possible responses. The basic idea is that employers |
| know you from Adam, and are looking for you to | | | | want to see that you've thought out your career goals, |
| convince them you're the best person for the job. | | | | and that you not just looking for "a job" to "pay the |
| The best way to score big in a civilian job interview is | | | | bills"; Companies are looking for people who have a |
| to know what the common questions are, and prepare | | | | vision, and desire to learn and grow with the company. |
| answers based on your life and work history. Here's a | | | | - ow do you handle stress? For service members this |
| look at some of the most common interview questions | | | | should be no sweat! What an employer is looking to |
| you'll hear. | | | | hear is that you've dealt with stress before and that |
| - Why did you leave your last job/military? The most | | | | you've developed methods to cope with it. Explaining |
| important thing is to not bash the military or your | | | | your time management methods - i.e., how you get a |
| former employer no matter how much you disliked | | | | lot of projects done quickly - is appropriate here. |
| being there. No one wants to hire a malcontent. | | | | There are, of course, many more standard interview |
| Instead, focus on how you want to expand your future | | | | questions that you can expect, but the overall key is |
| skills and grow. | | | | for you to spend some time thinking about the |
| - What is your greatest strength? This is a common | | | | interview before hand - preparation is everything. And |
| question and it's not as easy it appears. You don't | | | | remember, always do your research about the |
| want to sound arrogant and you don't want to sound | | | | company and ask your own questions to the |
| cliché: "I'm a hard worker," just doesn't cut it. | | | | interviewer. |