Questions
With your next interview just around the corner, you're probably wondering what questions you need to be prepared for. Every interview varies but there are some questions that you need to be aware of how to answer. Take a look at our list of questions and put yourself to the test and see whether or not you're ready for that job interview!
QUESTION: What can you tell me about yourself?
ANSWER: Be brief! They don't need to know everything, but you must highlight the important parts of yourself that are relevant to what the interviewer is looking for. Describe your work ethic, your talent, your intelligence, anything that would apply to the job you're interviewing for. You can throw in other tidbits, like your personal interests, but do not go into depth describing your social life or give personal details. Stay relevant to the topic at hand! Tread carefully on topics such as your hobbies or other responsibilities; your employer may become concerned about you're commitment to the job over your extracurricular activities. Attempt to completely avoid controversial preferences such as religion and politics.
QUESTION: Why do you want to work here?
ANSWER: The interviewer wants to know how much you want the job, and what specifically is driving you. It's obvious that you want to work there, but what you prioritize as your main reason and what you tell them reveals a lot about your character. Interviewers want to see that you understand the aims of the company and that you're reasons for working there align with their own goals. They also want to ensure that you are willing to make a significant contribution to the benefit of their company. Do not focus your answer entirely on money. Companies are more likely to hire you if they see you are also interested in the company's welfare rather than simply your own.
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QUESTION: Why should we hire you?
ANSWER: When answering this question, be careful not to sound too arrogant or self-assured, but certainly do not be overly modest about your accomplishments. Sounding conceited is a blow to your character, but employers need to be familiar with your achievements and talents. Point out your education and experience, what you can do to help the company, and how getting the job would benefit yourself. Employers will want to see what you can contribute to the company, but they also want your personal reasoning for joining to ensure that you're willing to keep working for the job in the future.
QUESTION: Do you have any questions for us?
ANSWER: This is almost an inevitable question at the end of an interview. You should be prepared for this question by preparing some questions of your own. You don't have to produce several, but ask questions you are genuinely curious about. Ask your interviewer questions such as "What is your favorite part about working here?" or "What are some performance expectations of this job?". Ask questions relevant to the job and pay attention to the answers you receive. You can also use this time to smooth over any misconceptions that may have cropped up over the course of the interview. Take this time to get the answers you need!
QUESTIONS: What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?
ANSWERS: When answering the question of your greatest strength, be honest and list one of your strengths that apply to the job. If you're applying for a customer service job, list strengths such as being personable or your strong communication skills. After listing your strengths, be sure to add how you applied them to a situation or how they would come in handy with the job.
When answering questions about your biggest weakness, you also want to be honest. Interviewers will be looking for red flags among your list, but they're also looking for your honesty. List a genuine weakness, but also include a plan you have to combat it, suggesting you are overcoming this weakness with perseverence and practice. Try to think of weaknesses you struggle with, but are genuinely trying to improve.
QUESTION: Why are you leaving your current job?
ANSWER: If this interview is for your first job, you don't have to worry about this question. If it comes up during your interview, politely tell the truth about it being your first job and move on. If there are other situations in which the question doesn't apply to you, still be polite and truthfully answer so you can move past it.
However, if it is your second job, you need to be honest about your first job experience. Explain why you believe that this job you're applying for is better suited to you than your previous one. Or if you were laid off, admit to it. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Give reasons to it (avoid being overly negative about your past employment if this is the case), but also give reasons to how you've improved or why such a situation won't happen again.
QUESTION: What are your salary expectations?
ANSWER: This question requires you do to research beforehand on the typical range of salaries for the particular job you're applying for. When approached with this question, state the salary you feel you deserve based off your skills and experience. Don't be afraid to cite the highest salary in your range if you feel that's what you deserve. You should also take this question as an opportunity to inquire about other monetary issues, such as healthcare and pension. Be clear you're aware of how valuable your skills are but that you are also willing to be flexible and negotiate with the numbers if necessary.
QUESTION: Where do you see yourself in five years?
ANSWER: Be honest with the interviewer at this point. The interviewer is examining your ambitions and goals, checking to see if they align with the position you're applying for. Try to think realistically when answering: think about where the job could take you in five years and shape your answer around that. If you aren't sure of your goals in five years, it's okay to admit that, but add how the experience of having this job will be able to point you in the right direction and help play an important role in helping make your decisions.
QUESTION: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
ANSWER: Interviewers will ask this question to get a grasp of your personality. List some of your hobbies and why you enjoy doing them. Allow them to see pieces of who you really are, but be semi-professional when answering. Avoid inappropriate topics or topics that may be counterproductive to your obtaining the job. Be clear that while you enjoy participating in other things, they will not get in the way of your job.
QUESTION: What do you know about this job?
ANSWER: Interviewers will ask this question as a test. When applying for this job, you should typically know what working for that particular company entails. Knowing nothing about the job or what it involves reflects poorly on you because your lack of knowledge and initiative to do research implies that you're not taking the opportunity or the interview seriously. Someone who is truly invested and interested in the job will have done the research beforehand and those are the people that stand out in an interviewer's mind. When researching, look for articles reflecting the company or check the company's website to learn about the environment and what the job requires.
QUESTION: If you were to be any animal, what would you be?
ANSWER: This question is merely an example of a type of question referred to as curve balls. These are random questions asked by an employer to get an idea of your creativity and personality. Other examples may be "If you owned the company, what would you change?" to get an idea of your logical thinking. When answering these questions, just be honest. You can relax a little as well; these questions don't have a right or wrong answer. Don't focus on the answer itself, but put thought into how you deliver your answer. Let the interviewer get to know you!
QUESTION: How have you handled stress or pressure?
ANSWER: This question is also an example of a specific type of question known as behavioral questions. Your employee wants to know how you will react under specific circumstances. When answering questions such as these, be honest. In some cases, such as the question above, you should back up your answer with an example of when you handled stress or pressure in the past and the results were. Your employer will use how you handled situations in the past as an indicator of how you'll handle them in the future. Other examples of these types of questions may be "What's an example of a goal you achieved and how you worked to achieve it?" or "How do you handle making mistakes?" that can be answered in a similar fashion.
Be honest and polite when answering questions! The questions above are merely a sample of what could be asked during an interview, because every interview is different. Don't panic if you can't think of an answer immediately off the top of your head. Any interview will run smoothly and easily if you keep your head and stay honest.