Have confidence when handling objections!

In our last class, we had conversed about objections in an interview, which we all have or will come across! In past interviews, I have stiffened up and immediately got nervous when asked an objection question; however, I feel that I will be more confident now that I have the skills to handle them.

When asked an objection question, it usually means that the interviewer is looking for more information from you so it's important to address their concern, provide an answer and present facts as to why I would be a better candidate for the position. One of the questions that came up numerous times in class was the point about how all of us are just graduating college. Why would an employer hire you over someone else who has a little more experience? Don't sell yourself short! Let them know that you understand their concern, then provide facts as to why you would be the best person for the job.

The question I was asked in class was why I was only a minor in hospitality. Not ever being asked that question before, I had to sit back and think about my answer and how I was going to address this concern and be able to provide facts! This is what you need to think about before even going into an interview and what hard evidence you are going to bring in order to show them how prepared you are and what you have accomplished in the past. I answered the question first saying that I understood their concern about myself only being a minor in hospitality and not majoring in the field. Other companies that I have worked for have the felt the same; however, while interning at the Inn by the Bandstand in Exeter, I have had the opportunity to work on projects and have been able to show my organizational skills, have stayed focused on the task at hand and finished each project in a timely manner.

My first project that I had to work on was a business plan for the Inn, as they are trying to open up a Pub that will be connected to the Inn. This is where I can show evidence of this business plan to the interviewer showing how I have helped with the plan. Although we are still trying to get financing for the Pub, and we are not in the process of opening it up yet, it's still great experience for me to see how a business is actually started and what I did to help! So just remember, when handling objections, be confident and address the concern to the best of your ability! Make sure to back up your answer with hard evidence and these objection questions will be a breeze!

What strengths can I bring to your company?

When going into any interview, it's very important to know your unique strengths and skills that will make an employer want to hire you over anyone else. One of my main strengths is that I'm very focused and am always asking myself the question "Where am I headed next?" I think it's crucial to not only set work goals but to set personal goals as well. When working in teams either at school or at work, I'm usually the one to delegate who's doing what tasks and making sure we get everything done for that day. I don't like chaotic, unstructured sessions where little, if anything, is accomplished. In my personal life, I find it very helpful to have schedules so I know the certain goals I need to accomplish by the end of the day, week, or even month. Some people may find this to be a bit over the top; however, with working 3 jobs and also taking classes, setting goals helps me to prioritize and figure out the important things that I need to accomplish for that day are.

Another strength of mine is positivity as I'm always on the lookout for the positive in each situation. I think it's crucial to celebrate every achievement as celebrating victories, large or small, along the way is an amazingly effective way to keep people engaged in the whole journey. All of the small successes are chances to congratulate the team and boost their spirits for the challenges ahead. It’s also important to create a work environment with just the right balance of achievement and challenge as people need a feeling of success to be excited about work.

A great example of how I possess this strength comes from my past experiences as a waitress. Sometimes I know that the next few hours of my shift could be hard as some of my customers may not be happy with the overall service they have received that night; however, if you dwell on the complainers and don't do your job to the best of your ability, you definitely won't get too much farther at that job! People who possess the positivity strength can't be naive and think that bad things are never going to happen because things do go wrong sometimes. It's important not to dwell on the bad as you will never get any further in your career and in future life challenges. So why not be generous with praise, quick to smile and always on the lookout for the positive in each situation? It will only bring you closer to achieving your goals!