Five Top Interview Questions..Answered!
Whether you have endured two or 200 interviews, you begin to recognize the variation of questions asked company-to-company. How can you possibly prepare for the unknown? Honestly, it’s an individual, professional Jeopardy. The way you phrase your answer does matter. It’s important to prepare ahead of time and feel confident in your answers. Here are some ideas to get you started.
1. “Tell Me About Yourself.”
Obviously, this question seems to beg a multitude of responses. They want to know a little bit about you as a person, but don’t give your life story of growing up in a small town outside western Nebraska. This isn’t the time to go into lavish detail about your whole life, but they are also looking for more than a one sentence answer.
Start off with a few adjectives that characterize you, as well as, describe yourself in the work environment. Provide some information about your professional experience. Ultimately, read the room. If the opportunity arises, you can provide additional information about your passions, hobbies or how long you have lived in the area.
2. “What is Your Greatest Strength and/or Weakness?”
We all know the term “double-edged sword.” In respect to interviews, this question acts as Excalibur and only the well prepared can wield the weapon from the stone effectively.
Be Humble: Too much ego can be construed as a weakness in a team setting
Provide a weakness that is true, but has realistic potential that you can overcome; i.e. “I find myself dedicating too much time on a client’s project”
Be Confident: Too many “weaknesses” produce the perception that you won’t be able to handle the workload or overcome emotional vendetta’s
Your strength should be something that will help you shine and set you apart in the role.
3. “Give Me an Example of a Time You _________.”
Hiring managers love to ask situational questions. “Tell me a time you have encountered a conflict at work and how did you deal with it?” or “Tell me about the worst day you had in the office and the steps you made to alleviate the issue?”
You will always be asked to describe scenarios you’ve experienced and how you handled them. These questions should be answered with specific examples. This is not the time to be vague or modest; speak about what you have done in your career. Think about some distinct examples over the course of your work history that can demonstrate leadership, growth, failure, etc. Prepare these ahead of time so you don’t waste time sitting and thinking for your answer.
4. “What Interests You Most About This Role?”
This question tests your preparation. What research have you conducted on the company you’re interviewing with? Before the interview, read their mission statement, see what awards they have received, examine the way they represent themselves on social media. You should be able to highlight the specifics of why you want to work for them. Then you should have the ability to describe intimate details that excite you about the role. Is it something you have done previously that you know you love? Is there a new responsibility that you are looking forward to learning? Will you have new leadership opportunities that weren’t available to you before?
5. “What Questions Do You Have for Me?”
Check out this blog post dedicated specifically towards what questions to ask in an interview!