Here's how you can navigate interview questions about your previous job experiences. (2024)

FAQs

How to answer tell me about your previous work experience? ›

Be Positive

When speaking about your previous position, focus on as many positive aspects as possible. Naturally, most job seekers are looking for a new job because something was amiss in their last position. As tempting as it might be to bash your old boss, you should never speak negatively about them.

List experiences in reverse chronological order (most current experience first). Describe your responsibilities in concise statements led by strong verbs. Focus on those skills and strengths that you possess and that you have identified as being important to your field. Try to incorporate industry-specific key words.

General introduction in an interview

Thanks for the opportunity to speak with you. I am a [job title] who's been working in [industry] for the last [number of years of experience]. Throughout my career, I've always focused on [relevant skills or goals], leading me to [job role, achievement, or project milestone].

Model Answer: I have some strong work experience that will help me with this job if I am successful. I worked for a year as a student in a local Pizza restaurant. That helped me to get confidence in talking to the public, and also showed me that this is a job where I will need to work hard.

You can share your knowledge of the job even if you haven't actually performed the task before. Give specific examples of volunteer work or experience at your last job that makes you a strong candidate. The skills you acquired in the past might be more relevant to this job than you think.

Provide a Brief Highlight-Summary of Your Experience

The best way to answer "Tell me about yourself" is with a brief highlight-summary of your experience, your education, the value you bring to an employer, and the reason you're looking forward to learning more about this next job and the opportunity to work with them.

That is par for the course and on past experience is about to come to an end. Judging from past experience, I figured her brooding silence most likely had something to do with Jared. From past experience we know staff terms and conditions can be targeted for savings.

What are some examples of past experiences? ›

Some examples are moving as a kid, marriage, loss, accepting Christ, etc. Not all Core Impacts are big and emotionally heavy, but they very well can be. Typically, we find around 10 to 15 Core Impacts in each Next-Level Life. Of course, this depends on age and experience, too.

Tailor Your Examples: Choose specific examples from your past experiences that directly relate to the job you're applying for. Customize your responses during the interview to demonstrate how your past experiences make you a strong fit for the role.

Example 1: Highlight your relevant work experience.

I'm a great match for this role because I've successfully completed these responsibilities at my previous job. For example, I most recently led a 10-person sales team. We had a strong sales record and successfully hit sales targets every quarter.

Describe your work history

Briefly explain how you began your career, and what led you to this point. Focus on how you've progressed in your field, and what you've accomplished at previous jobs.

The first way to respond to the 'experience question' is to use an example from your past experience about a time when you did XYZ—and, of course … the successful turnout that resulted. This is the best-case scenario when answering the 'experience question.

Sample Answer:

I started out as a customer service rep in a call center, where I learned the basics—answering calls, resolving issues, and really listening to what the customer needs. It was a great foundation, and it taught me the importance of patience and empathy in delivering great customer service experience.