A job interview can be an incredibly stressful experience, but there’s no denying that thorough preparation can pay off – quite literally.
If you want to give yourself the best chance of success then it’s important to consider how you’ll respond to all of the questions that you’re probably going to be asked.
That might sound daunting, but loads of interviewers will ask the same questions – no matter the job, and no matter the industry. Regardless of the position or level of seniority, that means you’ll be able to anticipate questions and get top-quality answers ready in advance.
We’ve taken a deep dive into twenty of the most common interview questions and explained the best answers – so you’ll be sure to impress. And if you’d like more job application assistance, here are ten amazing resume examples and the skills you should include and avoid on your next resume.
Tell me about yourself and your background?
This will always be one of the first questions in any job interview. Happily, it seems pretty easy to answer: you need to give a brief history of your employment, highlight your key achievements, and explain what makes you perfect for the position.
Don’t sleep on your preparation, though. Prepare an elevator pitch for this part of the interview – sell yourself in under a minute without becoming boastful or arrogant.
Don’t just list your CV, either. Highlight the key achievements, but remain conversational rather than robotic – interviewers are looking for someone who is confident and comfortable.
How would you describe yourself?
This sounds like the previous question, but it’s a subtly different beast. Instead of talking about your career progression, cover the personality traits that would make you ideal for the job at hand. It’s absolutely fine to answer this question with weaknesses, too – everyone has them, and by acknowledging those then you show that you’ve got good self-awareness.
If you can back up your strengths with achievements and data to show how they can benefit a business, even better.
Why do you want to work here?
This question is the perfect chance to display your interview preparation. Interviewers want to know that you’ve done your research about the company – you should talk about its culture, values and history and explain how those align with your own mentality.
This question is a great opportunity to demonstrate that you’re a perfect match for the business. It’s also a good idea to point to the company’s unique strengths, share how the company’s mission dovetails with yours, and share what excites you.
What motivates you?
It’s a simple question with a complex answer. If you want to impress an interviewer, you need to remember the times when you’ve been particularly motivated in previous positions.
You should mention those occasions, explain exactly why you were motivated, and then explain how you’ll find the same motivation in this company – highlight something specific that you saw in the job description or something about the business that you find exciting.
If you’re open and honest about this question then your enthusiasm will be obvious. Interviewers know that no one will be motivated by every aspect of their job, but if you can prove your excitement for key aspects of the role then you’ll impress the people across the desk.
Why are you leaving your current position?
This can be one of the most awkward questions in any interview, but you can be sure that it’s going to come up.
No matter what happened in your previous job, keep things positive – negativity will reflect badly on you as a candidate. If you left under difficult circumstances, don’t go into details. If you were made redundant or fired, say that, don’t feel that you have to elaborate. And if a firing does come up, explain that you’ve learned from the experience.
Indeed, it’s important to concentrate on the future, no matter what happened in the past. Instead of talking about your old job, explain how you feel that this new company will help you achieve your goals and that you’ll be a great fit.
What are your goals for the future?
This question will always come up, because interviewers want to gauge if you’ll be a loyal employee or if you’re likely to move on quickly.
No matter what your career plans, it’s important to answer this question with honesty about your personal goals. You should show how those goals match up with the company’s own objectives.
Even if you don’t plan to stick around for the long term, it’s fine to answer ambiguously about the future while confirming that you think you’ll be a great fit for the company and that you can have a mutually beneficial professional relationship.
Source: Tech Radar
