When preparing for manufacturing job interviews, it is important to practice answering questions related to your skills and work experience. These factors will help you get hired but today’s employers are also looking for more. They are also looking for soft skills – less tangible skills that determine how you work as a member of a team. These are some of the soft skills that will get you hired.
Communication
In manufacturing, teamwork is essential. If one person doesn’t pull his or her weight, it can derail production and product delivery. It will be important to showcase your interpersonal communication skills. How do you make sure you communicate clearly? What do you do if someone misinterprets a direction?
Don’t forget that listening is a key component of effective communication. Show the interviewer that you have good listening skills by paying attention and answering every question directly.
Time Management
In manufacturing, no one has time to hold your hand. You must be able to move quickly and accurately and you must be able to deal with potential roadblocks or distractions effectively. During interviews talk about the ways you avoid distractions and stay focused to ensure that your work is always efficient and accurate.
Adaptability and Flexibility
The only thing you can count on in manufacturing is that something will go wrong. Machines go offline. Coworkers call off. Materials can fail quality checks. Employers need to hire people who can adapt to change quickly and ensure things move smoothly. During interviews, discuss a time you had to face a change and adjust your approach/style/attitude to get things done. Focus on the ways in which your flexibility and adaptability contributed to success.
Positivity
No one enjoys working with a Negative Nancy. Everyone finds themselves in a bad mood from time to time, but overall, positivity is important for team morale. That includes times when it might be very difficult to find the good in a particular situation. Show the interviewer that you have a positive attitude by remaining upbeat and talking about times you demonstrated positivity, even when it felt impossible to muster up a positive attitude.
Teamwork
Manufacturing is a team business. No single person can do their job without the help of others. That means you must be an effective team player. You’ll be working with people from different backgrounds and who have unique perspectives, so it is necessary to be able to listen to others and work through conflict in a healthy manner. The only way for a team to succeed is when everyone is pulling in the same direction, so highlight stories that showcase your teamworking abilities.
Are You Looking for Manufacturing Jobs in Ontario?
If you are looking for a new manufacturing job in Ontario, partner with the recruiters of Employment Professionals Canada. Browse our current job openings, contact us online or give us a call at 1-800-842-0421 to learn more.