If you go to a job interview, you will have to showcase your skills, talents and competencies. In order to land that job, you'll need to convince the interviewer that you can help their company to solve some of their problems, and that you would be an enrichment to them. In this article, we're going to look at the right way to present yourself favorably, without having to brag. Not 2 in 10 job hunters get this right, so you'll have an huge advantage over your competitors in landing that job if you just get this one thing right.

Let me also tell you that if you turn into a nervous wreck in an interview situation, no amount of preparation will save you. You got to fix that issue first - and I'll show you a way to do that at the end of this article. But for now, let's focus on how the interviewers perceives you.

Big Words - "Loyal, Communicative, Flexible & Diligent"

Job candidates like to use these kinds of words when they apply for a job. Not just the for ones I mentioned above, but words like these. There are many more - hundreds actually. Words like accurate, driven, punctual, organized, self-motivated, innovative, hard working and so on.

These job candidates heard that employers like these qualities in people. But just because you say that you are self-motivated and flexible - how can an interviewer be sure that this is true?

Let's look at a statement like: "I have good leadership abilities."

Now, how is an interviewer supposed to know if that's true? Even if you're sincere - maybe what you consider to be good leadership abilities isn't what the interviewer considers good leadership abilities?

It's A Numbers Game

The best way to convince them is to follow up with specific facts, better yet, quantifiable facts. Tell them, in just a few words, one example when your leadership abilities bring out specific results.

Let's try: "I have good leadership abilities. After I joined my previous employer as a business development manager and took responsibility for the 120 people working in that office the total work productivity increased 7% within the next 6 months leading to additional revenues of $600,000."

Do you see how following up such a general statement like "I have good leadership abilities" with specifics can make a statement much stronger?

Whom would YOU prefer to hire? Someone who says about himself: "I'm a team-player, communicative, responsible, flexible, balanced, diplomatic and fair, diligent and loyal." Or someone who's actually got something to show for it?

It's About Them

Now let's even amp that up a bit. Once you've made a statement like this, immediately show the interviewer what's in it for them by saying something like: "That's the kind of productivity increase I would be honored to bring to your company too, specially I learned a lot in that experience and am confident that I can be of even greater benefit now."

This shows them that you understand when you join this company, you don't do it for a higher salary, a shorter commute or more vacation time, but that you join this company so that you can be useful for them. That's an important distinction.

And you don't need to have managed hundreds of people and brought in millions of profits - whatever industry and job you are in, leverage the good work you already did by taking the time to find what is quantifiable and present it in an impressive manner. I know of a woman who got a job as office manager of a fast-growing solar-energy company because she explained how she had managed her five kids in a convincing manner.

Confidence Is Everything... Well, Almost: It's 93%

But all of this won't help you if you're not confident. Scientific studies by the UCLA have shown that the words you speak only contribute 7% to the effectiveness of your communication. The other 93% are the non-verbal cues you give: your body language and your tone of voice. That's why confidence matters so much.