Regardless of how long you’ve been in the working world, the words “job interview” are enough to send everyone from a new graduate to a seasoned manager into a cold sweat.

If you are looking for a new job, there are some basic job interview tips that will help you feel confident and will convey your reliability, initiative and competence. But what if you want to go beyond the basics and put yourself in the shoes of your interviewer?

Demonstrating Leadership Skills in an Interview

The 99 Percent blog published a post this month from Scott McDowell, a consultant who helps creative agencies find good leaders. He offers an insightful look into what hiring managers are looking for beyond the resume. These job interview tips and takeaways were the most compelling:

1. Cross-disciplinary skills

McDowell points out that you probably have experiences and capabilities that don’t fit into just one little box. “Being great at one discipline probably got you to the party, proving your breadth will keep you there,” he says.

Think about what you have learned in past jobs that might not be readily apparent to the hiring manager. How do these skills make you stand out? How have you been able to adapt them to real-life situations? How would they be valuable in the job you are hoping to get?

2. Navigating ambiguity

This is a skill that sounds pretty ambiguous itself. But McDowell clarifies, saying that “‘navigating ambiguity’ refers to the ability to make decisions and move a project forward without a lot of information.”

The world is changing at a rapid pace, and being able to think on your feet and make good decisions in a challenging environment is one of the most essential leadership skills. Emphasize how you have learned and thrived in work situations that required adaptability and creative thinking.

3. Getting things done

Having great ideas isn’t enough; being able to work with others and persevere yourself to get them accomplished is the skill hiring managers want. “It’s the 99% perspiration factor: the ability to come up with ideas and work and work to execute them, “ McDowell says.

Prove that you have the organization and problem-solving skills to think of solutions to problems and the tenacity to see them through to completion. Talk about specific examples where you worked with a team to develop an idea, manage the project and celebrate its success.

What job interview tips do you have to demonstrate leadership skills?