How to Answer the Most Basic Common Interview Questions
How will you feel if you knew
exactly what question would be ask in your next interview? While we can't read the
mind of the interviewer, we can tell you what may be coming and practice for it
in advance. Take the time to understand some of the "standards" when
it comes to interviewing questions.
The following are some of the
most difficult questions you will face in the course of your job interviews.
Some questions may seem rather simple on the surface—such as "Tell me
about yourself"—but these questions can have a variety of answers. The
more open ended the question, the wider the variation in the answers. Once you
have become practiced in your interviewing skills, you will find it so
interesting to answer almost any question.
1.
Tell me about yourself?
The question seems like an easy
interview question. Many people don’t prepare for this question. What is required of you is a two- to
three-minute snapshot of whom you are and why you're the best candidate for
this position.
In answering this question, talk
about what you've done to prepare yourself to be the very best candidate for
the position. Start off with the 2-3 specific accomplishments or experiences
that you most want the interviewer to know about, and then wrap up talking
about how that prior experience has positioned you for this specific role.
How to Answer the Most Basic Common Interview Questions.
2.
Why should I hire you?
This
question gives you an opportunity to show the interviewer what you know about
the job and the company. So you should have a great answer about why you
want the position and be specific. Think of your most
impressive and unique strengths that closely relate to the job description and
use those to pitch yourself in a way that clearly illustrates the skill set and
qualities you bring to the table. Identify a couple of
key factors that make the role a great fit for you (e.g., “I love customer
support because I love the constant human interaction and the satisfaction that
comes from helping someone solves a problem"),
How to Answer the Most Basic Common Interview Questions.
3.
Why are you leaving your current job?
This is a toughie, but one you can be sure you'll
be asked. Definitely keep things positive—you have nothing to gain by being negative
about your past employers. Instead, frame things in a way that shows that
you're eager to take on new opportunities and that the role you’re interviewing
for is a better fit for you than your current or last position. For example,
“I’d really love to be part of product development from beginning to end, and I
know I’d have that opportunity here.
How to Answer the Most Basic Common Interview Questions.
4.
What is your greatest strength?
This is one of the questions that
employers always ask. When you are asked about your greatest strengths, it's
important to discuss the attributes that will qualify you for the specific job
and set you apart from the other candidates. Those true strengths that are
relevant and most targeted to this particular position and also be specific.
How to Answer the Most Basic Common Interview Questions.
5.
What is your greatest weakness?
Here don’t try to portray your
strength as a weakness; this should be avoided as this misses the point of the
question.
You should select a weakness that
you have been actively working to overcome. For example: "I have had
trouble in the past with planning and prioritization. However, I'm now taking
steps to correct this. I just started using a pocket planner…" then show
them your planner and how you are using it.
Talk about a true weakness and
show what you are doing to overcome it.
How to Answer the Most Basic Common Interview Questions.
6.
How has your education prepared you for your career?
This is a broad question and you
need to focus on the behavioural examples in your educational background which
specifically align to the required competencies for the career.
An example: "My education
has focused on not only the learning the fundamentals, but also on the
practical application of the information learned within those classes. For
example, I played a lead role in a class project where we gathered and analysed
best practice data from this industry.
How to Answer the Most Basic Common Interview Questions.
7.
Are you a team player?
Almost everyone says yes to this
question. But it is not just a yes/no question. You need to provide behavioural
examples to back up your answer.
A sample answer: "Yes, I'm
very much a team player. In fact, I've had opportunities in my work, school and
athletics to develop my skills as a team player. For example, on a recent
project…"
Emphasize teamwork behavioural
examples and focus on your openness to diversity of backgrounds. Talk about the
strength of the team above the individual. And note that this question may be
used as a lead into questions around how you handle conflict within a team, so
be prepared.
How to Answer the Most Basic Common Interview Questions.
8.
What do you think you can do differently?
The interviewer want to know if
you have done some background checking on the company, but that you're able to
think critically about it and come to the table with new ideas. So, come with
new ideas! What new features would you love to see? How could the company
increase conversions? How could customer service be improved? You don’t need to
have the company’s four-year strategy figured out, but do share your thoughts,
and more importantly, show how your interests and expertise would lend
themselves to the job.
How to Answer the Most Basic Common Interview Questions.
9.
How would your boss and co-workers describe you?
This question centers on how well
you work with others and your ability to manage relationships with your
colleagues, managers and other staffs.
First of all, be honest
(remember, if you get this job, the hiring manager will be calling your former
bosses and co-workers). Then, try to pull out strengths and traits you haven't
discussed in other aspects of the interview, such as your strong work ethic or
your willingness to pitch in on other projects when needed.
How to Answer the Most Basic Common Interview Questions.
10.
What do you know about the company?
Any candidate can read and
regurgitate the company’s “About” page. So, when interviewers ask this, they aren't
necessarily trying to gauge whether you understand the mission—they want to
know whether you care about it. Start with one line that shows you understand
the company's goals, using a couple key words and phrases from the website, but
then go on to make it personal. Say, “I’m personally drawn to this mission
because…” or “I really believe in this approach because…” and share a personal
example..
How to Answer the Most Basic Common Interview Questions.
11. What other companies are you interviewing with?
Companies ask this for a number
of reasons, from wanting to see what the competition is for you to sniffing out
whether you're serious about the industry. “Often the best approach is to
mention that you are exploring a number of other similar options in the
company's industry.
How to Answer the Most Basic Common Interview Questions.
12.
Do you have any questions for us?
You probably already know that an
interview isn't just a chance for an interviewer to grill you—it's your
opportunity to sniff out whether a job is the right fit for you. What do you
want to know about the position? The company? The department? The team?
You'll cover a lot of this in the
actual interview, so have a few less-common questions ready to go. We
especially like questions targeted to the interviewer (“What's your favourite
part about working here?") or the company's growth (“What can you tell me about
your new products or plans for growth?").
